Archives for January 2018

NEST, Chasers Launch 16th Annual Essay Contest

The Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST) and the Omaha Storm Chasers have officially begun the 16th annual “Why I Want to Go to College” essay contest, as announced by Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg.

Seventh and eighth grade students from around the country may submit their entries leading up to the March 2 deadline Essays must be 750 words or less, describing the student’s educational goals and dreams for the future. Entries are required to be typed and double-spaced on 8 1/2 by 11″ paper and must be the student’s original work. Each essay must also be accompanied with the required cover sheet, which can be found here: http://bit.ly/2018ContestCoverSheet.

Winners will receive prizes ranging from $500 to $2,000 toward a NEST College Savings Plan. First, second and third place winners will be honored from each of Nebraska’s three Congressional districts, in addition to out-of-state entries. Entries will be judged by students and faculty at Midland University in Fremont.

All winners hailing from the state of Nebraska will be notified in April. Winners will also receive four box seat tickets to the Storm Chasers’ game on May 6, in addition to being recognized prior to that day’s contest for their achievements.

Complete rules and information on the essay contest may be viewed here: http://bit.ly/2018ContestRules.

Entries must be postmarked by March 2 and sent to:

Omaha Storm Chasers
Attn: Becki Frishman
12356 Ballpark Way
Papillion, NE 68046

Following the Royals Exhibition Game presented by SAC Federal Credit Union on March 26, the Storm Chasers begin 2018 regular season Pacific Coast League play at Werner Park on Thursday, April 5. The Omaha Storm Chasers have been the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals since the franchise’s first game on April 18, 1969, and is the longest-running Triple-A affiliation in Minor League Baseball.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

BlueClaws, CJBC Blood Drive on January 20th

We’ll be hosting a blood drive at FirstEnergy Park on January 20th.

—

LAKEWOOD, NJ – The BlueClaws and Central Jersey Blood Center are teaming up for a blood drive on Saturday, January 20th from 7 am – 2 pm at FirstEnergy Park.The drive will take place in the BlueClaws Executive Conference Center and each donor will receive a pair of tickets for a 2018 BlueClaws game.

The BlueClaws encourage all fans to donate as the supply of blood needs to be replenished at this time.

While walk-ins are accepted, donors are encouraged to pre-register. To sign up, call 888-71-BLOOD or click here to register online.

Don’t Forget: Please eat before donating. All equipment used during the procedure is sterile and disposable. Donors must be healthy, be at least 16 years of age and weigh at least 120 pounds. Donors must present signature ID.

The BlueClaws are the Jersey Shore’s top stop for affordable, family entertainment. They have led the South Atlantic League in attendance in all 16 years of existence.

2018 BlueClaws ticket packages and group outings are currently on sale by calling 732-901-7000 option 3 or online at BlueClaws.com.

– BlueClaws –

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Miracle present checks for Irma relief

FORT MYERS, Fla. – In the past few weeks, the Fort Myers Miracle completed check presentations to eight charities across the Southwest Florida community that have played a major role in Hurricane Irma relief efforts.

This was made possible by a $13,000 donation from MiLB Charities. The Miracle then allocated the money to the following organizations: Lee County Schools, Harry Chapin Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Goodwill, New Horizons of Southwest Florida, Naples Zoo, and Everglades Wonder Gardens.

“We selected these organizations because of their incredible commitment to this community after the devastation of Hurricane Irma,” Miracle owner Jason Hochberg said. “As the community’s baseball team, we felt this was the least we could do to thank them for their efforts.”

The check presentations included leaders from all the organizations, Miracle mascot Sway, and representatives from the Miracle front office.

“As a non-for profit all funds are deeply appreciated,” Karl Steidinger, Director of Operations for Midwest Food Bank said. “The money will help us continue both our relief effort in the aftermath of Irma and our mission to alleviate hunger in southwest Florida. We are grateful for organizations like the Fort Myers Miracle that share in our passion to help others in our communities. Together we will make a difference our community and beyond!”

The Minnesota Twins, the parent club of the Miracle, also pitched in to help with Irma relief. They partnered with the Boston Red Sox to contribute $200,000 to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. Miracle ownership and fans have also donated over $20,000 to various charities for Irma relief.

“It was great to see the entire community come together in the wake of the worst storm to hit this area in a long time,” Miracle general manager Chris Peters said. “The aftermath of Irma was tough, but the worst brought out the best in Southwest Florida and helped speed up the recovery process. We are happy to have helped and our hats go off to these great organizations.

The Miracle will host an Irma Recovery/First Responders night at the CenturyLink Sports Complex in April. Opening Night is April 5, when the Miracle host the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

To stay up to date on the Miracle, follow us online at Miraclebaseball.com or through social media; Twitter: @MiracleBaseball, Instagram: fortmyersmiracle, Facebook: Fort Myers Miracle, Snapchat: ftmyersmiracle. For further information or questions, call the Miracle offices at (239) 768-4210.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Kane County Cougars Foundation, Inc. Releases Annual Report for 2017

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

GENEVA, Ill. – The Kane County Cougars Foundation, Inc. is proud to present the third Annual Report to the Community detailing the charitable outreach completed in 2017. The report lists the extensive accomplishments of the foundation and the notable programs coordinated by the Cougars.

Five new foundation programs were added in 2017 including the Al Mueller Memorial Scholarship Fund, the D-backs Give Back partnership, AmazonSmile, Highland Salutes and the Es Divertido Ser Un Fan campaign which saw the Cougars selected as one of four teams out of 160 Minor League Baseball teams to participate in this historic Hispanic outreach program.

The annual 5K Run/Walk hosted by the Cougars was re-branded in honor of First Responders. A total of $2,000 was donated to local departments including Geneva Police and Fire, St. Charles Police and Fire, Batavia Police and Fire as well as the Kane County Forest Preserve Police and the Kane County Sheriff’s Department.

Ozzie’s Reading Club was also re-branded, with the addition of our new mascot Annie, to the Cougars Reading Club. Each year the program encourages over 130,000 local area students to meet reading goals with incentives such as game tickets, food vouchers and a drawstring backpack. In-kind donations for the Cougars Reading Club totaled $646,190 in 2017.

The 50/50 Raffle, presented by Bret Brizzolara your local Country Financial representative and the Acres Group Pitch-In for Charity are two in-game programs from which a portion of the proceeds benefit specific charities selected by the Kane County Cougars Foundation. In 2017, these two programs generated over $29,000 to support local causes including Fox Valley Wildlife Center, Food for Greater Elgin, Holiday Heroes, Naperville Alive and DuPage PADS.

For every home run that was hit by a Cougars player at home, Paramount Fence made a donation to Emmanuel House which was then matched by the Cougars through the Home Run for Charity program. In 2017, the donation totaled $2,400.

Through a variety of military organizations including the Illinois National Guard, Operation Support Our Troops, Rolling Thunder and the Veteran Tickets Foundation, the Kane County Cougars Foundation presented in-kind donations for Military Recognition totaling $16,844 in 2017.

Various in-kind donations, community appearances, high school seminars, clinics and events show the Cougars on-going commitment to the surrounding community through programs such as the Library Summer Reading Program, senior citizen half-price tickets and food vouchers, the Winter Coat Drive and a partnership with Two Men and a Truck to collect items through the Movers for Moms program.

“Each year we strive to find new ways to give back to local organizations,” said Cougars owner Cheryl Froehlich. “With the additional programs added under the Kane County Cougars Foundation we were able to assist the surrounding community in more ways than we ever have before.”

“We’re dedicated to creating a legacy for the Kane County Cougars that goes far beyond the game of baseball,” added Cougars owner Dr. Bob Froehlich. “The Cougars are committed to making Kane County and the surrounding area a better place to live and work through the efforts of the Kane County Cougars Foundation.”

About the Kane County Cougars

The Cougars, Class-A Minor League affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, have been at the forefront of family-friendly entertainment since 1991. In 2015, the franchise became the first Class-A team in Minor League Baseball history to welcome 11 million fans through the gates. A total of 161 former Cougars have reached the Major Leagues including Miguel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Kyle Schwarber.

***

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Cedar Rapids Kernels release 2017 Community Report

Cedar Rapids, IA – The Kernels have released their second annual report showcasing how the organization supported the Cedar Rapids community in 2017.

The eleven page report features new community programs “Catch with a Cop” and “Home Run for Hunger” while also breaking down the $256,000 in charitable donations contributed by the Kernels organization. Other highlights include a recap on the thriving “Kernels Summer Reading Program” and a page dedicated to The Kernels Foundation in their efforts in supporting recreational activities for the youth in Eastern Iowa.

“The work we do in Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities is something we are very proud of.” says Ryne George, Kernels Director of Community Relations. “Back in 2016 we started the “Take the Lead” community relations initiative to help brand our efforts and today it has really grown into a way of thinking here at the ballpark and pushes us to do more.”

The 2017 Cedar Rapids Kernels Community Report can be viewed by clicking here.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are the Midwest League affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. For more information, visit www.kernels.com and follow the Kernels on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are the Midwest League affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.