Archives for June 2021

Wood Ducks to Host Youth Softball Camp Presented by Lenoir Community College

Kinston, N.C. – The Down East Wood Ducks announced Wednesday, that they will host a Youth Softball Camp, presented by Lenoir Community College. The camp will take place Tuesday, June 29th – Thursday, July 1st.

The Youth camp will offer sessions from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on June 29– 30th with check-in at 8:30 a.m. On July 1st, check-in is at 3:30 p.m. and the session will run from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. The three-day camp is $60 per participant (ages 5-14) and includes a camp t-shirt. Each camper will be responsible for bringing their own equipment (glove, bat, helmet, etc.). Parents must sign a waiver on behalf of their child to participate and are welcome to stay and watch from the stands at no additional cost.

The camp will feature instruction from the Shockers II softball team, including some former players. All five seniors from 2020 and the seniors from this season received offers to play college softball and pursue collegiate degrees. The Shockers teams have produced over 115 D1 college athletes over the years. “The Shockers are both honored and thrilled to partner with the DEWDS to bring fast pitch softball to Historic Grainger Stadium. We cherish every opportunity to cultivate a young girl’s dream of playing a game that promotes integrity in all aspects of life,” says head coach Jody Turner. “Some Shockers alum will come back to the camp to give firsthand advice and instruction to the campers as well.”

Parents may register their children by contacting John McCormick at (252) 686-5154 or by emailing [email protected].

Fans can purchase Down East Wood Ducks tickets on woodducksbaseball.com, by calling the Wood Ducks Team Offices at (252) 686-5164 or in the Wood Ducks Team Offices located at Grainger Stadium (Mon-Fri – 9am -4pm). Make sure to follow your Down East Wood Ducks on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook so you don’t miss anything!

Pride Night on tap for Thursday, June 24

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies’ inaugural Pride Night will be on Thursday, June 24 at Segra Park.

Pride Night – now two years in the making after the cancellation of the 2020 season – is a night of inclusion, celebration and reaffirmation that Segra Park is a welcoming place for all people.

“Segra Park was built by our community and for our community… our entire community,” said Fireflies team President John Katz. “Columbia has a robust, active LBGTQ+ community and the Fireflies have many fans within that community. Columbia Fireflies baseball is truly ‘Fun for ALL.’”

The Fireflies have partnered on Pride Night with five local Pride Partner organizations that do amazing work in the community. SC Pride, South Carolina Black Pride, the Harriet Hancock Center, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (Columbia Center) and PALSS – Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services.

“Events like Pride Night at Fireflies really help to bring awareness of LGBT issues to more mainstream — and often under-represented — audiences,” said SC Pride President Jeff March. “It’s important that our allies — no matter who they are — step up to help show that LGBT issues are human issues. We are your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers, and we are as much a part of every facet of society as anyone else.”

Each of the five Pride Partners will have a table on the stadium concourse to share information about their programs and goals; they will also be distributing one of five exclusive Fireflies Pride buttons to fans. Please be sure to visit all five tables to collect the entire series. All buttons are free and quantities are limited.

“Harriet Hancock Center is so proud to be a part of an event that supports the LGBTQ community,” said Harriet Hancock Center Board President Kimmah Dozier-Burt. “Pride Night with the Fireflies offers the community a much-needed opportunity to reconnect, celebrate Pride together, and to collectively root for the home team!”

The Fireflies will be auctioning off a full set of custom Fireflies Pride jerseys during the game, with 100% of the proceeds being donated evenly to each of our five Pride Partners.

The Fireflies will also be selling their Pride t-shirts and caps throughout the day and will be donating 20% of the net proceeds to our Pride Partners.

“We are excited to be a part of this beautiful historic moment,” said South Carolina Black Pride President and CEO Darius Jones. “Celebrating Pride Month with the Columbia Fireflies at Segra Park is not just beautiful but historic too. It proves that SC has come a long way, and it brings visibility to LGBTQ+ athletics.”

In addition to the fundraising opportunities above, the Kansas City Royals have also pledged to donate an additional $1,000 to each of our Pride Partners to help further their work in our community.

Billy Bean, who serves at MLB as Vice-President & Special Assistant to the Commissioner, has sent a welcome video to Fireflies fans to kick off the Pride Night festivities. As a senior advisor to Commissioner Manfred, his role focuses on player education, LGBTQ inclusion, and social justice initiatives. Bean played in the Major Leagues from 1987-1995 and, in 1999, was just the second Major Leaguer to come out publicly as gay.

“I’m incredibly proud of the Columbia Fireflies for the comprehensive effort they’re making to reach out and support their LGBTQ fans,” said Bean. “Pride Night on June 24th is going to be a great day at Segra Park. I truly appreciate the inclusive message the club is setting for all of minor league baseball.”

Tickets for Pride Night on June 24 are available here.

Season ticket memberships for the 2021 season are still available for purchase. Memberships start as low as $70. Partial plans are now available to purchase in the Bullpen Boxes. To reserve your seats, contact the Fireflies Box Office at 803-726-4487 or visit The Fireflies Box Office at Segra Park.

For more information about the upcoming Fireflies season or other events at Segra Park, visit www.ColumbiaFireflies.com.

Military Appreciation Day July 4th at Fluor Field

 

The Greenville Drive is excited to host Military Appreciation Day Sunday, July 4th.

First pitch against Winston-Salem, affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, is set for 6:05 pm. Gates will open at 5:00 pm. The Grumpy Old Jazzmen will play in the Main Street Plaza.

All veterans and active military will receive a $5 ballpark voucher, compliments of the Drive (pick up at tables near entrance gates). Our military celebration includes a pre-game ceremony featuring color guard, gun salute and vintage WWII warbirds flyover at the end of the anthem; military vehicle display on Field Street pre-game and in-game; recognizing and honoring our veterans and active military throughout the game; and military organizations display on the concourse.

There will also be a Fourth of July pre-game cookout. The $25 package includes a ticket to the picnic, the Drive game and postgame fireworks! Use the password july4 to buy your tickets here!

Postgame there will be a hot dog eating contest. Preliminary winners from our contests during the past homestand will compete for the 2021 title! Additional day of sign ups will take place at the Drive’s Info Center, located behind home plate.

For the grand finale, the Drive will provide the only public fireworks display in Greenville, which will start after the game but no earlier than 9:45.

Hillsboro Hops and MTI Team Up to “Shut Out Hunger” During 2021 Season 

 

Hillsboro, OR. (June 22, 2021) – Two longtime Hillsboro organizations, MTI (Mobile Tech, Inc.), a global leader in asset protection, smart locks, tablet solutions, IoT, and global services, and the Hillsboro Hops, the Single-A Advanced affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, announced that they have partnered on a new community campaign focused on fighting hunger in the Hillsboro and Washington County communities. This season-long endeavor called “Shut Out Hunger” will involve hundreds of volunteer hours by both organizations benefiting the Sunshine Pantry in Beaverton.

Starting June 28 to July 2, MTI will accept non-perishable food items and monetary donations at its offices located at 1050 NW 67th Avenue and 2345 NE Overlook Drive, Suite 250. During the June 29 through July 2 Hops homestand, MTI and Hops staff members will collect similar items at the Ron Tonkin Field entry gates. Volunteers from both companies will donate their time in July packing food at the Sunshine Pantry, and August will find them at Meals on Wheels in Hillsboro.

The Sunshine Pantry can accept cash or check donations, as well as pre-paid gift cards to specific grocery stores and gas stations in addition to food. The best non-perishable food items include, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, snacks, peanut butter, cooking oil, and rice.

“1 in 10 children in Washington Country are food insecure and go to bed hungry. The COVID-19 pandemic created a larger need with even more people struggling to pay bills and put food on the table,” said Mary Jesse, MTI CEO. “The Hillsboro Hops offer a great family experience, but they also offer community support in Hillsboro and Washington County. MTI’s headquarters have always been in Hillsboro. We look forward to working together to help those families and individuals who need assistance during these challenging times.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with MTI on the “Shut Out Hunger” program,” said Hops President and General Manager, KL Wombacher. “As we’re coming out of the pandemic, we know many in our community are struggling to put food on the table more than ever. We’re grateful to be in a position to help and to have a great, Hillsboro-based partner supporting the effort along with us.”

About Hillsboro Hops
The 2014, 2015 & 2019 Champion Hillsboro Hops are the Single-A Advanced baseball affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. The team’s season runs from April to early September. The franchise relocated to Hillsboro in 2012 and began play in 2013 in a new state-of-the-art 4,500 capacity ballpark, Ron Tonkin Field. Follow the Hops on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HillsboroHops and on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @HillsboroHops.

About MTI

MTI is a global solutions innovator in asset protection, smart locks, tablet solutions, and global services, serving the largest and most highly regarded global brands. MTI’s innovative design and production capabilities, along with our unmatched field technical services, ensure success for our customers in retail, healthcare, and hospitality. Our smart IoT platform drives superior operational efficiency, employee satisfaction and customer experiences. Our global services organization offers 24/7/365 field support in over 90 countries and resolves 98% of problems on the first visit. Headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon with offices in Hong Kong, Ireland, and London, MTI brings over 40 years of experience helping our customers meet their complex business needs.

PRIDE Night Returns To PK Park On June 25

 

PRIDE Night returns to PK Park on June 25 as the Emeralds celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community on a night that will include a PRIDE flag giveaway for fans and a game-worn Emeralds PRIDE jersey auction benefitting the Matthew Shepard Foundation. The special evening is proudly sponsored by our friends at Kendall Auto Group and KLCC NPR.

PRIDE Night is nothing new to PK Park. In 2019, the Emeralds became the first-ever affiliated Minor League Baseball organization to don PRIDE jerseys in-game**,** a landmark moment that hadn’t even occurred to Emeralds General Manager Allan Benavides at the time.

“We weren’t aware that we would be the first [affiliated] team,” he told MiLB.com. “It wasn’t a factor. We thought it was important that as an organization, we were committed to doing a PRIDE night. We had some people in the community give us some ideas on what we could do and how we should do it properly.”

The evening was also highlighted by a pregame Q&A panel with activist Candace Gingrich, a raffle of the game-worn jerseys that benefitted the HIV Alliance, and every Emeralds gameday employee decked out in PRIDE merchandise.

Asked to reflect back on that night in an interview with the Washington Post earlier this month, Benavides recalled, “there were a lot of people in the stadium who felt comfortable holding hands, hugging each other. A lot of people wearing PRIDE colors. Just very comfortable, and that continued. It wasn’t just that one game.”

On June 5, the San Francisco Giants, the Major League affiliate of the Eugene Emeralds, became the first-ever Major League franchise to sport PRIDE jerseys in-game.

This year’s PRIDE Night will be highlighted by an Emeralds PRIDE flag giveaway thanks to Kendall Auto Group. On June 25, the first 1,000 fans that enter the home plate gate at PK Park will receive a free Emeralds PRIDE flag.

 

Additionally, the Emeralds will once again don specially designed Emeralds PRIDE jerseys on June 25. The game-worn Emeralds PRIDE jerseys will be available for sale via online auction. Information regarding the online jersey auction will be available later in the week at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com.

Proceeds from the Emeralds PRIDE jersey auction will benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation, a nonprofit founded by the parents of the foundation’s namesake, Dennis and Judy Shepard.

The foundation was established following the death of Matthew Shepard who, as a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming, was brutally attacked and tied to a fence in a field where he was left to die. Matthew tragically succumbed to his wounds, but his memory lives on through the foundation his parents created using education, outreach, and advocacy programs to inspire individuals, organizations, and communities to embrace the dignity and equality of all people.

Tickets to Eugene Emeralds home games are available for purchase at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com or by calling (541) 342-5367.

Stay up to date with the Emeralds by following the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Bisons top Rochester American Giants on Negro League Night

 

The Red Wings celebrated Juneteenth playing as the Rochester American Giants – a minor league Negro League team that called the Flower City home in the 1940s.

Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bisons spoiled the party outslugging the American Giants, 8-6, at Frontier Field.

Rochester built a 3-1 lead after four innings, scoring single runs in the second, third and fourth innings on RBI hits from Brandon Snyder, Jake Noll and Alec Keller.

The Bisons would tie the game in the fifth and score four more in the seventh to take control of the game.

A two-run homer from Yadiel Hernandez in the seventh inning brought the Rochester American Giants to within two at 7-5.

Sterling Sharp made the start for Rochester allowing three runs (one earned) over 4 2/3 innings.

Alberto Baldonado suffered the loss allowing all four runs in the seventh inning.

The final game of the series is Sunday after at 1:05 from Frontier Field.

Cross Timbers Roofing partners with Flying Squirrels to present Field of Dreams

 

RICHMOND, Va. – Cross Timbers Roofing has partnered with the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Flying Squirrels Charities to present the Field of Dreams program, the team announced on Friday.

The Field of Dreams program presented by Cross Timbers Roofing enables area youth leagues to join Flying Squirrels players on the field for the national anthem in 2021. In conjunction with Flying Squirrels Charities, Cross Timbers Roofing will be making a donation to each league that has a team participating in the program throughout the 2021 season.

VIDEO STATEMENT

“We are thrilled to partner with Cross Timers Roofing and celebrate with Chuck and Wendy for their 30th year of serving the roofing needs of the Richmond region,” Flying Squirrels CEO Todd “Parney” Parnell said. “Youth leagues will reap the benefits of that celebration and Cross Timbers Roofing will continue to support and serve the youth baseball and softball leagues across the Richmond region.”

Anyone interested in participating in the Field of Dreams program can click here for more information.

“Cross Timbers Roofing is excited to partner with the Flying Squirrels for the 2021 baseball season,” Cross Timbers Roofing president Chuck Glady said. “It has been an honor to be a part of the Richmond community for 30 years, and we are excited to celebrate with this partnership. When we thought about how to celebrate our 30-year anniversary, we immediately thought of baseball. The Flying Squirrels are iconic in Richmond, and we knew they would have a great program that we could partner with to contribute to our community. We talked through a few options and landed on youth baseball.

“One of our missions at Cross Timbers Roofing is giving back to the community, and we feel like giving back to the kids is a wonderful way to build the future of this community.

The Richmond Flying Squirrels return home from June 29-July 4. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels offices.

San Antonio Missions are Hiring for a Gameday Team Store Employee

 

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Missions have immediate openings for gameday team store employees. The position requires the assistance of selling merchandise from inside the team store and at the Flying Chanclas Tent located on the third base concourse.

The gameday team store employee will be expected to work around 5 hours during Missions’ home games. On gamedays, the team store operates one hour prior to first pitch and closes 15 minutes after the final out.

Those interested in this position should email John Rebholz, the team store manager for the San Antonio Missions, at [email protected]. Please include a resume and contact info in your email.

San Antonio Missions Baseball Club

57 57 Hwy, 90 West | San Antonio, Texas 78227 | 210.675.7275 | Fax: 210.670.0001

samissions.com

Captains to host vaccine clinic June 18

 

 

(Eastlake, OH) – The Lake County Captains have partnered with the Lake County Department of Health to make COVID-19 vaccines available at Classic Park this Friday, June 18. Vaccines will be administered during the Captains game against the West Michigan Whitecaps.

Fans may pre-register at the link below. Those fans who pre-register can pick up their ticket at the Will Call window of the Classic Park Box Office on Friday using their photo ID. Walk-in appointments will also be available. Fans will be able to choose between receiving a dose of the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

PRE-REGISTER FOR YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE AT CLASSIC PARK

First pitch for Friday’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m. and gates to Classic Park open at 6 p.m.

About the Captains

The Lake County Captains are the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. For more information, visit the Captains’ website at www.CaptainsBaseball.com, Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CaptainsBaseball, Twitter @LCCaptains and Instagram @LCCaptains. Fans can also get the latest Captains news and offers by signing up for the Captains’ newsletter, The Anchor.

Community Spotlight: Lyllye Reynolds-Parker

 

Lyllye Reynolds-Parker was born at Sacred Heart hospital, in 1946. She is an elder in our community, and a child of Eugene.

In the 1940s, exclusionary laws prevented Black people from buying or renting within city limits. Because of this, her family lived in the “Ferry Street Village” community, near present-day Alton Baker Park. When she was three years old, the Lane County Commissioners ordered that the neighborhood where she and her family lived be bulldozed so that the Ferry Street Bridge could be placed there. Her family was displaced and lived many years out West 11th.

Redlining was alive and well in Oregon into the late 1970s. This racist practice created an inability for black people to access loans to buy a house, in order to purchase homes in an area where their home would increase in value and send their children to high quality school. Most importantly, this practice did not allow for Black families to build generational wealth that could be passed along through generations.

Ms. Lyllye worked for 17 years at the University of Oregon. She came into contact with countless students of color, and she helped them find comfort in a community and a system that wasn’t made for them. The Eugene Emeralds are thrilled to have Ms. Lyllye, and her family, join us at the ballpark on June 19th. Before the game, Ms. Lyllye will throw out a first pitch and receive a custom Emeralds jersey to thank her for her service to the community.

Ms. Lyllye has a dream of purchasing a home for her and her older sister to live in, and the community is determined to help her see that dream come true. To help raise funds for this dream, the Eugene Emeralds will be selling special Black empowerment shirts featuring Ms. Lyllye on the back with her message of unity. “I chose Unity because we are such a fractured society right now. I just want us to realize we are in this together, be it COVID, White Supremacists, gun violence, civil unrest around the world, whatever it may be, it affects us all. We must come together in unity. We may not agree on everything, and compromise can be painful, but we can do it.”

Fans can also donate at any Oregon Community Credit Union (OCCU) branch. If you wish to donate with a check, they can be written out to new house for Lyllye Parker and write “1316973” in the memo line. You can also donate using a PayPal Pool: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8xMymFhKhg.

HIRING: More Employees Needed As Capacity Increases

 

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne TinCaps are actively hiring seasonal, part-time employees as Parkview Field returns to full capacity for games later this month. Available positions include working concessions, VIP service areas, housekeeping (overnight third-shift), and more.

Those interested in working at the top-rated ballpark in Minor League Baseball can apply immediately at TinCapsJobs.com.

“For as excited as we are to have Parkview Field getting back to full capacity for the first time in nearly two years, we need more team members to ensure we continue serving our fans in a first-class way,” said TinCaps President Mike Nutter. “We’ve been through a lot during this pandemic. Last year it was heart-breaking for us to have to furlough employees and not hire as many part-time workers due to losing our season. Now we’re back to actively hiring.”

The TinCaps have 36 games remaining on their schedule from June 29–Sept. 12. The team is flexibles with work-schedules. Employees don’t need to work every game. Games are at night Tuesday-Saturday, during the afternoon on Sundays (except July 4), and there are no Monday games. Click here for the team schedule.

In May, Parkview Field’s capacity was limited to about 30%, or 3,000 fans. Capacity increased to approximately 4,000 fans for games June 1-13. On Tuesday, tickets went on sale for all remaining home games, with all seats available to purchase.

“We’re proud of Parkview Field’s reputation as the No. 1 ballpark in the minors and are committed to maintaining our standards of service,” Nutter said. “There’s no better place to call your office than this beautiful venue. Whether you’re a student, a retiree, or something in between, there are amazing opportunities for folks here. We also pride ourselves in having a positive work-culture for our employees. I got my start in the industry as a teenager cleaning up at a stadium after games. You never know what this may lead to.”

More than half of the team’s full-time staff of employees began working for the TinCaps in a seasonal position before earning a promotion.

Questions about employment can be directed to the team’s HR Administrator, Cathy Tinney: [email protected]. Candidates must meet age requirements and pass a background check. The TinCaps are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and Dragons present Anthem Game Changers

 

Dayton, OH – Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and the Dayton Dragons will host Katherine Stewart and her employer, Kroger, for the unique Anthem Game Changers program on Wednesday, June 16, when the Dayton Dragons take on the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Day Air Ballpark.

The Anthem Game Changer program recognizes essential workers, and their organizations, for the relentless commitment to the community during the pandemic. Their selfless efforts to provide necessities such as food, education, and emergency medical support throughout Covid-19 are immeasurable. Please join us to thank these Game Changers for their support and dedication. They changed the game for many in our community.

Katherine’s Story

When the pandemic shut the world down last spring, essential personnel rose to the occasion to provide critical needs for our community. The selfless efforts of these people ensured access to necessities such as food, education, and emergency medical support. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and the Dayton Dragons highlight Katherine Stewart and her employer, Kroger, for being Game Changers during COVID-19.

In the spring of 2020, Katherine started as a Clerk at her local Kroger. After a couple months, her employer noticed her leadership skills and promoted her to Store Lead. As a Store Lead, Katherine saw firsthand how the pandemic affected her shoppers. Many customers felt uncomfortable in public and were paralyzed by the potential to hurt themselves or their loved ones.

As many were met with an inability to get their groceries, Katherine knew she wanted to help. She applied for the E-Commerce Supervisor position and was quickly promoted. As an E-Commerce Supervisor, Katherine oversees 20 associates who assist customers with their online shopping and provide them a safe, no-contact, pickup. Katherine believes that helping others is what she was meant to do, especially when that help is making sure her community is secure in their food source.

Outside of work, Katherine continues to lead as an example in the community. When she is not shopping for her customers, Katherine invests her time with her _Anything’s Pawsible Animal Rescue Center_, rings bells for the Salvation Army during the holidays, and is on the Senior Citizens Task Force in Clark County. On top of her already busy life, Katherine also home schools her five children who range from age 5 to 15.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and the Dayton Dragons applaud Katherine Stewart and Kroger for their commitment to provide for our community during an unprecedented time. They changed the game for many in the community! Please join us in thanking this Anthem Game Changer at the Dragons game on Wednesday, June 16.

The Dragons play at beautiful, downtown Day Air Ballpark and are scheduled to play 42 more home games during the regular season. Game times are 7:05 p.m. for Tuesday through Saturday games and 2:05 p.m. on Sundays. No Monday games are scheduled at this time. Gates open one hour prior to game time. Single-game tickets for all Dragons 2021 home games are available at www.daytondragons.com or by phone at (937) 228-2287.

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Aces to partner with KOLO Cares, Food Bank of Northern Nevada for food drive

 

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces and KOLO Cares are partnering with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada to include a food drive at Aces games from June 17-20. All who bring a non-perishable food item will receive a buy-one-get-one-half-off ticket voucher for the Aces’ August 5-10 series against the Tacoma Rainiers.

“KOLO 8 News Now is excited and proud to partner with the Reno Aces and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada to help provide much needed food to residents in our area,” said KOLO’s General Manager Matt Eldredge. “Along with their annual toy drive for needy children, the Aces prove again to be a generous supporter of worthwhile causes to help those in need in Northern Nevada.”

The Food Bank of Northern Nevada provides food for families in need, through more than 145 partner agencies. The food bank serves more than 106,000 people every month, and have served as a 501(c)3 nonprofit for more than three decades.

KOLO Cares is a program with KOLO 8 News Now, highlighting the charitable and community work done in the Northern Nevada region.