Appalachian League Releases 2019 Community Report



CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Appalachian League today announced it surpassed $2.3 million in charitable contributions for the 2019 calendar year. The multi-million dollar figure is a culmination of all community involvement from the ten teams in the Advanced-Rookie league, as well as efforts from the Appalachian League office.

“As a league, we appreciate the opportunity to give back and to enhance the communities that have supported our member clubs for more than 100 years,” said League President Dan Moushon.
Appalachian League executives, staff members, players, coaches, and umpires spent more than 7,600 hours volunteering in their communities across more than 220 events. Additionally, organizations partnered with five Minor League Baseball national charity partners and hosted local activations for five MiLB community initiatives.

More information about the Appalachian League’s 2019 community initiatives and charitable contributions can be viewed in the official 2019 report available here.

The 2020 Appalachian League season begins on June 22. Fans can view the complete schedule at appyleague.com.

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The Appalachian League is a Rookie (Advance) league in Minor League Baseball that consists of 10 teams across North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The league was established in 1911, and the modern Appalachian League began play in 1957. For more information about the Appalachian League, please visit appyleague.com or follow the league on Twitter (@AppyLeague).

Pulaski Yankees release 2019 charitable contributions

 

PULASKI, Va. – The Pulaski Yankees today announced the organization made over $282,000 in charitable contributions during the 2019 calendar year, an increase of over $250,000 from 2018. Through the new Calfee Cares community relations program, the Yankees made $253,587 in gift in kind donations and $28,833 in cash donations from in-stadium fundraising efforts.

“When we introduced Calfee Cares in May of 2019, our goal was to prioritize our community relations efforts and continually find and create opportunities to give back to the fans, businesses, and community organizations in Pulaski who support us all season long,” said Pulaski Yankees General Manager Betsy Haugh. “We could not be more thrilled with the results from 2019 and the contributions our organization and players made last season.”

Yankees players and staff members totaled 536 hours in volunteer efforts and community appearances during 2019 across more than 35 different events, including the Yankees’ annual HOPE Week (Helping Others Persevere & Excel) initiative presented by Gay & Neel, Inc.

22 of the team’s 34 regular-season home games had a community tie, most notably Agriculture Night 2.0 presented by Farm Credit of the Virginias which led to a $4,250 donation to the Virginia Tech Agriculture Extension and Pulaski County 4-H, and fan favorites such as Heroes Night (SERVPRO of Pulaski County) and Military Appreciation Night (Pulaski Health & Rehabilitation Center).

The Yankees participated in five MiLB Charities national initiatives, including Sun Safety Awareness (American Cancer Society), Domestic Violence Awareness (Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation), Stars & Stripes Caps (New Era Cap Co.), MiLB CommUNITY (Allegiant Airlines), and Hope at Bat (American Cancer Society).

Calfee Park also hosted three community-focused special events – the first-ever Pulaski Yankees 5K benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Virginia, Homers for Hearts benefitting the American Heart Association, and Guns and Hoses benefitting the New River Valley Agency on Aging.

Additionally, the Yankees began partnerships with the American Cancer Society (also an MiLB Charity Partner) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Virginia, joining a lineup of local community partners that includes Shelor Motor Mile Growing the Future and the Pulaski County 4-H.

“Our community partnerships are so important to us and our efforts to give back to the community,” Haugh said. “We look forward to working with these four again in 2020 and introducing a few new community partnerships for the coming season.”

Including Pulaski’s $282,420, the Appalachian League’s reported contributions from 2019 total $2,347,712.

Season tickets and flex packs are now on sale for the 2020 Pulaski Yankees season, which gets underway at Motor Mile Field at Calfee Park on June 22. Tickets can be purchased online at pulaskiyankees.net, by phone at (540) 980-1070, or in person at the Calfee Park offices. Individual game tickets will go on sale on April 1.

The Pulaski Yankees are the Advanced Rookie level affiliate of the New York Yankees playing in the Appalachian League. Pulaski is celebrating its 54th season in the Appalachian League in 2019. Calfee Park has won league championships in 1948, 1969, 1986, 1991 and 2013. Motor Mile Field at Calfee Park opened in 1935 and was renovated for the team’s first season as a Yankees affiliate in 2015. The Pulaski Yankees were named the recipient of the John H. Johnson President’s Award, Minor League Baseball’s top honor, in 2019. For more information, please visit www.pulaskiyankees.net or follow the Pulaski Yankees on social media, @PulaskiYanks (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Braves Donate to United Way, Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association

DANVILLE, Va. – The Danville Braves donated over $2,600 to the United Way of Danville-Pittsylvania County and the Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association from fundraisers during the 2019 season.

In total, the Danville Braves have given over $48,000 in goods and services to Danville and the surrounding communities in 2019.

The Braves charitable contributions for the United Way came from the second annual D-Braves 5K, presented by HomeTrust Bank. The event had over 65 participants and the route of the race finished inside the Danville Braves stadium. In total, the Danville Braves were able to raise nearly $1,500 for the efforts of the United Way, who support 16 organizations across the greater Danville-Pittsylvania County area. For more information about the good work that the United Way does in Danville and surrounding areas, visit unitedwaydpc.org.

The donation for the Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association comes from the D-Braves Star Wars night on July 19, presented by Centra Health, where fans could purchase game-worn jerseys from Danville Braves players and coaches. On that date, Braves players touted special Han Solo jerseys. The proceeds of the sale totaled over $2,200. The Braves also sent over $1,100 to the Centra Foundation. In total, the Danville Braves have raised over $18,000 as a result of the jersey auction sales over the past nine seasons.

DPC provides financial, educational and emotional support to cancer patients in the Danville and Pittsylvania County area. Donations to the organization aim to defray the cost of cancer-related prescriptions, equipment, supplies, transportation reimbursement, nutritional supplements, as well as other special needs. For more information about the organization, visit www.danvillevacancer.org.

For more information about the Braves community initiatives or information about the 2020 season, visit dbraves.com or follow the Danville Braves on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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

2019 Bluefield Blue Jays Baseball Camp

Registration is now open for our 2019 Bluefield Blue Jays Baseball Camp.

Youth (ages 6-13 years old) are invited to our annual Blue Jays Camp here at Bowen Field on the 13th of July. Campers will be working with the players from the Blue Jays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Lunch will also be provided to all campers.

Please see the link below to access the registration forum and contact us at (304) 324-1326 for any questions or concerns.

http://www.milb.com/documents/3/3/6/308016336/2019_Blue_Jays_Baseball_Camp.pdf

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

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Pulaski Yankees introduce Community Organization of the Night program

PULASKI, Va. – The Pulaski Yankees are excited to introduce the Community Organization of the Night presented by the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce for the 2019 season. Through this program, the Yankees will highlight one area non-profit organization at each home game during the season. The organization will have the opportunity to set up a table on the concourse at Motor Mile Field at Calfee Park, be shown on the jumbotron during the game, and welcomed with a PA announcement.

Braves Present Gift to Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association

DANVILLE, Va. – The Danville Braves continued their community-focused efforts to local non-profits, most recently with a donation to the Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association (DPC).

The Braves charitable contributions come from their Cancer Awareness night on August 11, presented by Centra Health, where fans could purchase game-worn jerseys from Danville Braves players and coaches. On that date, D-Braves players touted special Danville 97s jerseys, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the year Danville had two minor league affiliated teams. The proceeds of the sale totaled over $1,000. In total, the Danville Braves have raised over $16,000 as a result of the jersey auction sales over the past eight seasons.

DPC provides financial, educational and emotional support to cancer patients in the Danville and Pittsylvania County area. Donations to the organization aim to defray the cost of cancer-related prescriptions, equipment, supplies, transportation reimbursement, nutritional supplements, as well as other special needs. For more information about the organization, visit www.danvillevacancer.org.

Keep close tabs on dbraves.com and the D-Braves social media accounts for upcoming information on the Danville Braves 2019 season.

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

Yankees donate to LewisGale Regional Cancer Center at Pulaski

PULASKI, Va. – The Pulaski Yankees presented LewisGale Regional Cancer Center at Pulaski with a donation of nearly $1,000 last Wednesday from proceeds raised during the team’s cancer awareness night on August 13. During Calf-E’s Fight Against Cancer presented by Gay & Neel, Inc. the Yankees raised $887 through a dunk tank and by donating $1 of all gameday ticket sales.

“During our 2018 cancer awareness night, we were able to spotlight nine different types of cancer – one per inning – and also raise funds to support cancer research and cancer care here locally,” said Pulaski Yankees General Manager. “We appreciate the tremendous fan support in helping to raise these funds and also thank Gay & Neel, Inc. for their sponsorship of Calf-E’s Fight Against Cancer. We’re proud to donate these proceeds to our friends at LewisGale to support the great work they’re doing to help cancer patients.”

“We are so appreciative of the great partnership between LewisGale and the Pulaski Yankees,” said Sean Pressman, CEO of LewisGale Hospital Pulaski. “The Yankees’ generous gift will help in the treatment and recovery of many cancer patients across the community.”

The 2019 Pulaski Yankees schedule will be available in the coming weeks. Season tickets for the 2019 Pulaski Yankees schedule are now on sale and can be purchased by calling (540) 980-1070. Additional information about season ticket plans and 2019 sponsorships can be found at pulaskiyankees.net.

The Pulaski Yankees are the Rookie level affiliate of the New York Yankees playing in the Appalachian League. Pulaski is celebrating its 53rd season in the Appalachian League in 2018. Calfee Park has won league championships in 1948, 1969, 1986, 1991 and 2013. Calfee Park opened in 1935 and was renovated for the team’s first season as a Yankees affiliate in 2015. For more information, please visit www.pulaskiyankees.net. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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D-Braves Offer Donation to God’s Storehouse

DANVILLE, Va. – The Danville Braves presented a donation to local non-profit God’s Storehouse on Tuesday morning.

The Braves donation comes from a mystery ball sale held in mid-July, where fans could purchase autographed baseballs collected from minor and major league teams across the country. The proceeds of the sale totaled to $1,000.

God’s Storehouse is a non-profit food pantry that seeks to collect and distribute food resources to those in need throughout the Danville and Pittsylvania County communities.

For more information on God’s Storehouse and their upcoming initiatives, visit www.godsstorehouse.org.

Keep close tabs on dbraves.com and the D-Braves social media accounts for upcoming information on Danville Braves 2019 Season Memberships.

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

Yankees present donation to Pulaski County 4-H

PULASKI, Va. – The Pulaski Yankees today presented the Pulaski County 4-H with a donation of nearly $3,000 in funds raised from the team’s Agriculture Night presented by Farm Credit of the Virginias on August 22. The theme night featured two fundraising opportunities – a raffle to win a live cow and the auction of game-worn specialty cow jerseys. Through these efforts, the organization raised $2,906 to benefit the local 4-H in Pulaski County.

“Our Agriculture Night was a huge success both for the ballpark and the community,” said Pulaski Yankees General Manager Betsy Haugh.
“We were thrilled by the fan support we received for this promotion and are excited to make this donation to the 4-H to help support agriculture and youth development in our area.”
The Pulaski County 4-H is 100 percent community funded, with money raised going back into local operations.
“We’re appreciative of this partnership and the opportunity to use the funds to put back into our local program,” said Senior 4-H Extension Agent Chris Lichty.
In addition to the cow raffle and the specialty jerseys, Agriculture Night – sponsored by Farm Credit of the Virginias – featured a petting zoo at Motor Mile Field at Calfee Park and a plush mascot giveaway of the Yankees’ mascot, Calf-E, for the first 250 children in attendance. The winner of the cow raffle, Adam Phillips, was given the choice of accepting the cow living or after processing, provided by Thompson’s Meats.
“We appreciate the opportunity to participate in this,” said Farm Credit of the Virginias Branch Manager Brian Repass. “We enjoyed it and thought it was very beneficial. We’re glad we were able to help out the local 4-H, which is part of our mission.”
The Pulaski Yankees, Pulaski County 4-H, and Farm Credit of the Virginias plan to partner together again in 2019 for another Agriculture Night promotion. Information about season tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the 2019 Pulaski Yankees season will be available in the coming weeks at pulaskiyankees.net or by calling the team’s front office at (540) 980-1070.

The Pulaski Yankees are the Rookie level affiliate of the New York Yankees playing in the Appalachian League. Pulaski is celebrating its 53rd season in the Appalachian League in 2018. Calfee Park has won league championships in 1948, 1969, 1986, 1991 and 2013. Calfee Park opened in 1935 and was renovated for the team’s first season as a Yankees affiliate in 2015. For more information, please visit www.pulaskiyankees.net. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

JOHNSON CITY CARDINALS TO HOST JOB FAIR

JOHNSON CITY- The Cardinals have announced that they will be hosting their annual job fair on Friday, April 27 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The job fair will take place at the Senior Center – 510 Bert Street, Johnson City TN 37601.

The job fair will have 15 different categories of part-time, seasonal positions available within the Cardinals organization. Among the jobs that will be displayed are: press box positions, mascot, on-field crew, ticket taker, group area/picnic attendant, stadium hawker, concession stand worker, concession stand manager, concession stand runner, bartender, cook, game day porter, kids zone operator, retail store associate, and usher.

Most TVA Credit Union Ballpark positions require a person to stand and walk for extended periods of time, as well as run, sit, navigate stairs, kneel or crouch. Prospective employees may also be asked to occasionally lift and/or move up to approximately 25 pounds and be exposed to various weather conditions and noise levels.

Potential employees will be asked to fill out their top three job choices on their interview questionnaire, which will be provided at the job fair. All persons seeking employment may not be able to work in their area of choice, as jobs will be offered by strength of application and/or resume.

The Cardinals will commence their 2018 home campaign against the Kingsport Mets on Friday, June 22, 2018. The full schedule for this season and season ticket information can be found online at jccardinals.com, or by calling the Cardinals Ticket Office at 423-461-4866.

ABOUT THE JOHNSON CITY CARDINALS

The Johnson City Cardinals are the Rookie affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Members of the ten-team Appalachian League, Cardinals baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America’s national pastime in the East Tennessee region for over 50 years. To learn more about the Johnson City Cardinals, visit www.jccardinals.com

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

Pulaski Yankees bring back Free Youth Outings Program for 2018 season

Pulaski, Va. – The Pulaski Yankees are excited to announce they will once again offer free admission to area youth groups during the 2018 season as part of the Calfee Park Free Youth Outings Program presented by Virginia529 and Shelor Motor Mile Growing the Future.

The program is open to all area youth groups, including sports teams, church groups, school groups, Boy and Girl Scouts, and child care centers. Each child in the group will receive one (1) free General Admission (GA) ticket. Youth group leaders accompanying the group will also receive one (1) free GA ticket. Parents, guardians, and other family members may join the group by purchasing GA tickets at a discounted rate of $5 per ticket.

“The youth in our community are an important part of Calfee Park,” said Pulaski Yankees General Manager Christina Edney. “We are grateful for our partners who help make this program possible, ensuring every child has the opportunity to enjoy a safe, fun, family-friendly event during the summer.”

Last year the Yankees distributed nearly 3,000 tickets through the free youth outings program, which has been in place since the 2015 season.

All youth group outings through the Calfee Park Free Youth Outings Program presented by Virginia529 and Shelor Motor Mile Growing the Future must be booked in advance. Interested groups can contact Yankees’ Assistant General Manager Betsy Haugh by email (bhaugh@pulaskiyankees.net) or by calling (540) 980-1070. For additional information, click here.

The Pulaski Yankees open the 2018 season on the road with a three-game series against the Danville Braves June 19-21. The Yankees will host the Greeneville Reds Friday, June 22 at Calfee Park in their 2018 home opener. Flex tickets and season tickets are available now by calling 540.980.1070. Individual game tickets will go on sale later this spring.

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

D-Braves donate to Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association

DANVILLE, Va. – The Danville Braves presented a donation of nearly $1,200 to the Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association Monday afternoon as part of MiLB’s CommUNITY initiative featured throughout the month of August. The D-Braves raised $2,397.32 from the auction of game-worn cancer awareness jerseys. The proceeds were split between the Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association and the Centra Foundation.

The D-Braves 2017 Cancer Awareness Night on July 8 marked the seventh year in which the Braves wore and auctioned cancer awareness jerseys.

“We’re happy to support the Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association and the support they provide local cancer patients,” said Danville Braves General Manager David Cross.

The Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association provides financial assistance to cancer patients in the area. For more information about the organization, visit danvillevacancer.org.

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

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D-Braves make donation to Danville Veterans Memorial

DANVILLE, Va. – As part of the Minor League Baseball CommUNITY initiative and in support of the Danville community, the Danville Braves made a donation of $1,455 to the Danville Veterans Memorial Fund. The D-Braves raised the donated money through mystery ball and mystery bobblehead sales/auctions held during two games this season.

“We’re proud to continue to support the Danville Veterans Memorial in honor of the sacrifices of the men and women of our nation’s military,” said Danville Braves General Manager David Cross.

2017 marks the sixth consecutive year the Danville Braves have contributed to the Danville Veterans Memorial Fund. For more information about the Veterans Memorial at Dan Daniel Memorial Park, visit http://www.danville-va.gov/1288/Veterans-Memorial.

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

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D-Braves present donation to God’s Storehouse

DANVILLE, Va. – The Danville Braves presented God’s Storehouse with a donation of nearly $2,000 prior to the team’s game against Bluefield Friday, August 11. The Braves raised $1,992.88 from the first ever Danville Braves 5K presented by Planet Fitness held earlier this season on July 15.

“We were very pleased with the turnout and the results of our first ever 5K,” said D-Braves Community Relations and Sales Manager Betsy Haugh. “We appreciate the community’s support of this event and are thrilled that we are able to make this donation to a great local non-profit organization in God’s Storehouse.”

65 runners and walkers competed in the Danville Braves 5K presented by Planet Fitness. The event was sponsored by Planet Fitness, HomeTrust Bank, and the Brick Running & Tri-Store, with all proceeds benefiting God’s Storehouse, a non-profit food pantry serving Danville and Pittsylvania County.

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

D-Braves Cancer Awareness Night Set for July 8

DANVILLE, Va. – The Danville Braves will host their annual Cancer Awareness Night presented by Centra on Saturday, July 8 during at 7pm matchup against the Burlington Royals. The D-Braves will wear special multi-colored jerseys with a large ribbon design on the back, meant to represent and raise awareness for all types of cancer.

The jerseys will be auctioned off in an online auction beginning Saturday, July 8 at 10pm EST. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Centra Foundation and the Danville Cancer Association. The auction will be hosted at dbraves.com and will conclude on Monday, July 17 at 8pm EST.

To purchase tickets for Cancer Awareness Night presented by Centra, visit dbraves.com or call 434.797.3792.

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

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