‘Dogs Present Over $1,200 Donation to Winwood Farm Home for Children

Offering generated from three separate Party at the Joe events over course of season

Charleston-RiverDogsThanks to the Charleston RiverDogs and Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, fans were able to enjoy the great atmosphere of The Joe with the club on the road. Through three separate Party at the Joe events, Lowcountry residents savored great drink specials and heard from some of the best local musicians in the area.

While relishing in those good times, those in attendance also lent a hand to the Winwood Farm Home for Children, an Awendaw based center which provides therapeutic residential services to hundreds of abused and neglected children.

During Monday night’s game with the Asheville Tourists, RiverDogs General Manager Dave Echols and Director of Special Events Melissa Azevedo presented a donation worth $1,272 to representatives from Winwood Farm.

WIndwood-Family-Services-logo“All three of our Party at the Joe events were well-received by our fans, and we are thrilled to help Winwood Farm in their mission to provide a safe haven for children in need,” said Echols.

Winwood Farm Home for Children has been restoring hope to children for more than 25 years, since 1985. In that time, staff at Winwood has afforded hurting children a reason to smile, stand tall, and laugh while simply being a kid.

CSC Winwood Farm Presentation 2011

‘Dogs Donate $1,000 to Teacher’s Supply Closet

Money raised from public address announcements goes to Tri-county school supplies provider

Charleston-RiverDogsSchool supplies are vital toward providing a great education for all children, but they can be expensive. In the Lowcountry, that’s where the Teacher’s Supply Closet steps in to provide pens, pencils, crayons, notebooks, and the like to Tri-County schools.

During Sunday’s game with the Asheville Tourists, the Charleston RiverDogs presented a $1,000 contribution to the organization as the culmination of a year-long effort to boost their ability to outfit children with everything they need to succeed in school. The funds come from the money fans have paid to have their messages read over the public address system.

“Involvement in local schools is a point of pride for the Charleston RiverDogs, and we are pleased to know that we and our fans helped better the grade school experience of Lowcountry youth.”

CSC teacher supply closet 2011

Raising Cane’s Teams with ‘Dogs to Donate $3,000 to Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy

Proceeds from Launch-a-Ball Promotion Presented to Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy

Charleston-RiverDogsEveryone needs someone to lean on in a time of need. For Lowcountry residents, the chaplains and volunteers of the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy have answered that call by fulfilling their mission to serve, comfort, and minister since 1991.

On Saturday, September 3, the Charleston RiverDogs and Raising Cane’s restaurant were happy to announce that they have assisted the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy through the club’s nightly launch-a-ball promotion.

By purchasing tennis balls to lob onto the Riley Park diamond during the postgame, fans have contributed $1,500 to the organization. Thanks to a matching offering from Raising Cane’s, representatives from the restaurant and RiverDogs General Manager Dave Echols were able to present a $3,000 donation to help fund the generosity of The Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy.

Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy logo“The selfless members of the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy serve as yet another example of the tight-knit and caring nature of the Charleston community,” said Echols. “We were happy to lend a helping hand to the service through a fun program, and are equally excited that Raising Cane’s stepped up to further the cause.”

 The 2007 Sofa Super Store fire which claimed the lives of nine of the Holy City’s bravest firemen was just one of the many times the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy has emerged to provide moral support in a time of crisis. The 24-7 pastoral care and counseling service tends to the families of law enforcement and emergency service agencies, as well as the general public, on an almost daily basis.

CSC Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy Donation 2011

Ports Hit Cancer out of the Park on Pink Night

Stockton-PortsThe Stockton Ports held their fifth annual breast cancer awareness night on August 26 at Banner Island Ballpark. All proceeds from the night benefited St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Breast Health Services. On this night, the Ports raised close to $5,000, bringing the total monies raised in five seasons to just over $25,000.

In 2010, Pink Night hit close to home with the Stockton Ports family when Becki Scarsone, wife of then manager Steve Scarsone, was battling through the disease. Today Becki is doing great and is cancer free.

Prior to the game against the Inland Empire 66’ers, the Ports hosted the second annual “Bombs 4 Bombs Home-Run-a-thon” presented by Turner Construction. The Ports recruited 24 participants who were eager to hit home runs to help fight breast cancer. Each softball that crossed the pink line in the outfield was counted as a home run. Fans were encouraged to make pledges to support the event. This year 73 home runs were hit, compared to the 48 hit in 2010. With the home run event alone, close to $500 was raised.

Stockton-Pink-ribbonThe roster for the event included Ports manager Webster Garrison, hitting coach Brian McArn, pitching coach Craig Lefferts, athletic trainer Nate Brooks, strength coach Chris Borgard, clubhouse manager Vic Zapien, Thunder Hockey front office staff, Ports front office staff, Port City Pirates Basketball head coach Wallace Bryant, Mega 100 representative Christie James, Sacramento Kings announcer Scott Moak, Eddie Maria from the Stockton Fire Auxiliary, California Cougars Soccer player Chris Handsor, DJ Walker from KAT Country, Norma DePauli from St. Joseph’s Medical Center, former San Francisco Giant Patrick Dobson, and the coaching staff from Inland Empire.

“Pink Night was such a success in 2010, so I had a lot of work ahead of me for the event this season!” said Community Relations Manager Margaret Sacchet. “Over all, the event went really well. We had a lot of great vendors out at the ballpark and a lot of people willing to donate to a great cause. The home run contest was a lot of fun and St. Joseph’s was happy at the end of the night, and that is what really counts.”

St-Josephs-Medical-Center-StocktonNot only did $1 from every ticket sold that night go to St. Josephs, but the Ports had a number of events going on through out the ballpark to help raise as much money as possible. Fans had the opportunity to bid on the specialty pink pinstriped jerseys being worn by the players, there was a 50/50 raffle, a player memorabilia raffle, specialty pink T-shirt sales, pink baseball sales for the Pink Wall, and KAT Country even raffled off tickets to an upcoming Taylor Swift concert. The popular ‘How Ya Bean’ kiosk also contributed by donating $1 for every pink Volcano drink sold that evening.

Before the game between the Ports and the 66’ers even began, nine courageous breast cancer survivors took the field with our players for the national anthem as Pink Ports. Each woman got to stand with a favorite player through the duration of the opening ceremony.

Stockton-August 19 177
A group of courageous cancer survivors joined the Ports player on the field as Pink Ports during the national anthem.

 

Stockton-August 19 104
From left to right, Ports hitting coach Brian McArn, athletic trainer Nate Brooks, pitching coach Craig Lefferts, manager Webster Garrison, and strength coach Chris Borgard all participated in the pre-game “Bombs 4 Bombs Home-Run-a-thon” presented by Turner Construction.

 Stockton-August 19 281

Community Relations Manager Margaret Sacchet lost a bet with on-field MC Hot Rod & was pied in the face for charity in front of the Pink Night crowd.

 

 

Charleston RiverDogs Donate $25,000 to MUSC Storm Eye Institute

Yankees Affiliate Has Donated More than $450,000 in Past 12 Years

Charleston-RiverDogsThe Charleston RiverDogs have yet again left a large paw print on the fight against blindness and the disease retinitis pigmentosa.

Between games of Tuesday night’s doubleheader against the Greenville Drive, RiverDogs General Manager Dave Echols presented a check for $25,000 to Dr. Ed Wilson, M.D. and representatives from the MUSC Storm Eye Institute.

The donation comes primarily from the RiverDogs’ 12th annual Kindness Beats Blindness auction that was held on June 25.  With turnouts in the thousands in each of the 12 years of the auction, the team and community as a whole have raised more than $450,000 towards preventative research for the degenerative eye disease.

MUSC-Health-Storm-Eye “We are grateful for the RiverDogs continued support in our quest to find cures and treatments for blinding eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa,” said Dr. Wilson.  “The RiverDogs’ generosity over the last 12 years has been crucial to the work that our vision scientists are doing in this area,”

The auction hits close to the RiverDogs’ family since Rebecca, the daughter of club president Mike Veeck was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of inherited diseases causing retinal degeneration.  Veeck and his wife, Libby, have dedicated themselves and most of their charitable efforts toward fighting blindness.

“Our entire staff takes a great deal of pride in our combined efforts with the Charleston community to raise money for research,” said General Manager Dave Echols. “The grace with which Rebecca and the Veeck family have handled this disease is inspiring to observe.”

For more information on the MUSC Storm Eye Institute and their effort to battle RP and other degenerative retinal diseases, visit www.muschealth.com/eyes.

Storm Eye Institute Check Presentation 2011

2011 Frisco RoughRiders Foundation Grant Recipients Announced

The Frisco RoughRiders Foundation awarded 5 grants to The Special Olympics, West Dallas Community School, Plano Children’s Medical Clinic, Buckner International and the Sci-Tech Discovery Center in Frisco during the 2011 season.

“The RoughRiders Foundation is thrilled to award our five grants to these deserving organizations,” said Michael Davidow, Director of the RoughRiders Foundation. “Each organization helps execute the RoughRiders Foundation’s mission of motivating and rewarding children and families in the areas of education, good health and community service activities.”

Each organization received a $1,000 grant from the RoughRiders Foundation to help continue its mission serving the North Dallas Community. 2011 marks the fourth year of the RoughRiders Foundation’s Grant Program and each of the five grant recipient organizations plan to use their grant in different ways.

“Special Olympics Texas (SOTX) is truly grateful to the Frisco RoughRiders Foundation for the generous $1,000 grant,” said Margaret Larsen, SOTX President and CEO. “This funding will provide much-needed support to afford the opportunity for more than 400 local SOTX athletes to compete in an eight-week softball training program, followed by the chance to compete and go for the gold!”

Each organization that received a grant also received 4 tickets to a RoughRiders game and participated in an on-field check presentation.

Non-Profit Organizations interested in applying for a grant in 2012 can visit www.ridersbseball.com/foundation or contact Michael Davidow at mdavidow@ridersbaseball.com.

(Left to Right) Special Olympics Texas Development Director and Program Director, Alice Brimelow and Cyndi Murchison, and RoughRiders Foundation Director, Mike Davidow.
Buckner International President, Dr. Albert Reyes and his wife tour Dr Pepper Ballpark before their check presentation.

Nick Adenhart Night raises more than $6,000

The Hagerstown Suns are pleased to announce that more than $6,000 was raised on Nick Adenhart Night at Municipal Stadium Tuesday. These proceeds from the silent auction and a portion of ticket sales will be donated to the Nick Adenhart Memorial Fund.

Adenhart grew up in the Hagerstown community and was a well-known athlete throughout the region before he reached the national stage with the Angels. In 2009, he was killed in an automobile accident. After his passing, a community foundation that provides funds for youth baseball organizations was established in his memory.

The Nick Adenhart Memorial Fund provides financial support to nonprofit youth baseball organizations that support the growth of the individual, the value of teamwork and the advancement of the game in their community.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Hagerstown Suns.  Click here to see the original story.

Timber Rattlers Celebrate Christmas in July

On July 16th, 2011, Time Warner Cable Field was morphed into the North Pole! There was snow on the ground, elves singing Christmas songs, and a festive spirit all around – it was…Christmas in July!

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers went all out for this theme night; inviting fans and all employees to dress in Christmas attire. The team also invited the Salvation Army to bring their red kettles and ring their bells for donations from fans. In addition to that, we encouraged fans to bring in baked goods for our “Bake Sale” where all proceeds would go to the Salvation Army. All fans that donated an item received our Scooter Versus Snowman bobblehead; the team thought it was rather appropriate. The kettles combined with the bake sale raised an astounding $525 for the Salvation Army!

The team had an usher volunteer to dress up and act as Santa Claus while his daughter volunteered to be Mrs. Claus. A security guard was able to provide the team with a 13 foot Christmas tree to display by our front entrance. Our customer service manager brought in décor for the stadium, lights for the Christmas tree, and costumes for some of the staff to wear.

We also changed up some of our on-field promotions and geared them towards the Christmas theme – rather than Build-A-Burger we had Decorate-A-Tree. Instead of the Mohican North Star Shot we had the Mohican North Star Snowball Shot. And finally, throughout the game, children were allowed to write “letters to the North Pole.” Each child that wrote to Santa received a letter back as well as a ticket voucher for a future game

Celebrating a Centennial of Naval Aviation

On July 9 we celebrated the Centennial of Naval Aviation at Harbor Park. Wings Over America is a non-profit scholarship foundation that raises money for children of pilots, the crew, and mechanics of air wings to apply for scholarships for there children to attend college. They raised over $1800 for the foundation that night by selling tickets.

Two helicopters also participated in the event. The first one was a helo that hovered at about 30 feet above centerfield and dropped six Navy Seals out of it with the game ball being brought in to Rear Admiral Ted Branch. The second helicopter flew over with the American Flag for the National Anthem and one of the navy gentleman sang the National Anthem.

During the seventh inning stretch we had all the crew and seals back to the field to be honored for volunteering there time that night.It was a great night all around and also helped a worthy cause raise money and awareness at Harbor Park.

HSC-26 & Navy Seals wow the crowd while repelling out of the plane! (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan McLearnon)
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic Rear Adm. Ted Branch throws the Ceremonial First Pitch. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan McLearnon)
Honoring the crew from the helicopter squadrons at the 7th inning stretch!

Strike Out ALS!

For several years, the Staten Island Yankees have partnered with the ALS Foundation Greater New York Chapter to raise awareness and money for the battle against ALS.

Along with promoting nearby Walks to Defeat ALS, Staten Island Yankees employees participated in a 2011 Walk to Defeat ALS along the West Side Highway in Manhattan. An appearance by Scooter the Holy Cow added to the pre-walk entertainment.

On July 4th, the Staten Island Yankees partnered with Primary Care Ambulance to help Strike Out ALS. For the game on July 4, Primary Care Ambulance donated $50 to the ALS Foundation for every strikeout pitched by a Staten Island Yankees pitcher. The eight strikeouts and $400 were great, but Primary Care Ambulance decided to pitch in an additional $100. The partnership between PCA and the ALS Foundation was expanded when PCA contributed another $250 to the Staten Island Yankees Kids’ Night Out program to further benefit the ALS Foundation.

For the Baby Bombers’ ongoing support, the ALS Foundation presented the Staten Island Yankees with a Certificate of Appreciation. The Baby Bombers are proud to continue supporting the fight against ALS, a disease very close to the Yankee family.

Representatives from the ALS Association present the Staten Island Yankees with a certificate of appreciation at Richmond County Bank Ballpark on July 4, 2011.

Indianapolis Indians Lend a Helping Glove

The Indianapolis Indians are giving away $10,000 in celebration of 125 consecutive years of professional baseball in Indianapolis. The program entitled “Lend a Helping Glove” has five local charities competing for a $10,000 grand prize.

Given a blank slate on a 5 foot fiberglass baseball glove, charities were asked to decorate their glove and put it on display in Indianapolis. Through a text vote, online vote and a celebrity panel vote, a winner will be decided. Voting began on June 3rd and ends at 11:59 PM EDT on August 19th. The winner will be announced at the Indians game on Friday, September 2nd versus Louisville.

Participating charities include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, Boys Scouts of America, CICOA, Indy Reads and the Salvation Army Indiana.

For more information on the program, visit www.lendahelpingglove.com.

Glove for the Salvation Army of Indiana.
Glove for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis.
Glove for CICOA.

Joplin relief efforts total over $6,500

Club has held jersey, memorabilia auctions during homestand

Naturals' catcher Ryan Eigsti helps serve up a meal in Jolin on Monday, June 6th. (Fran Johnson)
Naturals’ catcher Ryan Eigsti helps serve up a meal in Jolin on Monday, June 6th. (Fran Johnson)

SPRINGDALE, AR – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals visited the tornado stricken city of Joplin, Missouri on Monday on the heels of a six-game homestand that saw the Naturals collect $6,659.66 in donations and nearly $7,000 total in cash and items to contribute to the relief effort.

The donations will be made to the Red Cross of Northwest Arkansas and highlighted during the game during a short check presentation on the field.

Catcher Ryan Eigsti along with left-handed pitcher Buddy Baumann, General Manager Eric Edelstein, and the Naturals’ mascot Strike visited Joplin earlier Monday to assist in serving a lunch to tornado victims and volunteers helping with the relief efforts.

During the first five games of the Naturals’ current six-game homestand, the club has held a jersey auction, sports memorabilia auction, nightly post-game launch-a-ball, and optional donations at Red Dirt Outfitters. The club also extended an offer for free tickets for Joplin residents during this homestand.

In addition, the Naturals’ parent club, the Kansas City Royals, via its Royals Charities non-profit arm made a $25,000 donation to Heart to Heart International for its relief efforts in the city of Joplin. In addition, Royals fans generously contributed more than $18,000 during an in-stadium collection held earlier this homestand that will benefit the American Red Cross relief efforts.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.
This article originally appeared on the official website of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Click here to view the original story.

Mississippi Braves and Bass Pro Shops Flood Relief Efforts

The Mississippi Braves along with Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Marine, and Uncle Bucks Grills have joined forces to aid the victims of the Mississippi River Floods.

On Monday, May 30, 2011, The Braves and Bass Pro Shops presented a $5,000 check to The Salvation Army to help jump start the relief effort. Furthermore, prominent members of the community such as Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner, Vice President of Business Development for MiLB Tina Gust, and Pearl Mayor Brad Rogers came to show their support and encouragement during this tragic time. The Salvation Army’s Jackson, MS Area Coordinator/Corps Officer Captain Ken Chapman, U.S. Congressman Gregg Harper, Lt. Governor Phil Bryant, MS State Representative Ray Rogers, and MS State Senator Dean Kirby also attended the pre-game ceremony.

The Braves further aided the cause by donating 100% of the revenue generated by a special silent auction during the game. The silent auction featured various items for fans to bid on, such as autographed baseballs, bats, photos, and jerseys of various Braves players.

As a further way of providing assistance, the M-Braves encouraged fans to donate items such as clothing, shoes, water, non-perishable food items, and personal hygiene items to The Salvation Army. The Braves did so by providing fans who donated items to the cause a 50 percent discount on field seat tickets. Plus, the first 500 fans that donated items to the relief effort received their choice of a free Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, Brian McCann or Jeff Francoeur 8 x 10 color photo.

The Braves are still encouraging fans to continue to donate items for the relief effort, and drop them off at Trustmark Park throughout the year.

Check presentation to The Salvation Army. (From left to Right: General Manager of Bass Pro Shops Patrick Renegar, Jackson, MS Area Coordinator/Corps Officer Captain Ken Chapman, and General Manager of the Mississippi Braves Steve DeSalvo
General Manager Steve DeSalvo helping load the donated items onto the Salvation Army Truck.

Mississippi Braves Partner with the Salvation Army for Southeastern Tornado Relief Efforts

The Mississippi Braves in conjunction with the Atlanta Braves, Gwinnett and Rome Braves, 680 the Fan and Rock 100.5, corporate partners, and The Salvation Army have joined forces to raise money, awareness, and support for the Southeastern tornado relief efforts. The Mississippi Braves parent club began the effort Monday, May 2, by donating $100,000 to The Salvation Army.

As Atlanta’s AA team in the heart of Mississippi, the M-Braves will be a central location in the Jackson Metro Area for a drive to collect the most needed items for the victims of the devastating tornados.

“The tragic impact these tornados have had on the entire Southeast Region have greatly impacted all of our lives and the community in which we live,” said M-Braves General Manager, Steve DeSalvo. “As a member of this great community, it is important that we work together to rebuild what was lost which is why the M-Braves wish to help in any way we can.”

In response to this announcement, Ken Chapman, Jackson, MS Area Coordinator/ Corps Officer, remarked, “The Salvation Army has always regarded the Braves as wonderful corporate citizens and we are grateful for their caring hearts to serve those in need during this time of devastation.”

Currently, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Teams have been deployed and are in the process of helping the thousands of people in need. In addition, The Salvation Army is asking for various donations which will be distributed across the six states devastated by these brutal storms including Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Below is a list of the various items most needed:

· Household items (Laundry detergent, bleach, towels, bed sheets, blankets)
· Toiletries (Toothpaste, mouthwash, body soap, deodorant, lotion, feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizer, razors, toilet paper)
· Paper kitchen products (Disposable dishes, utensils, cups, paper towels
· Baby Products (Diapers, formula, baby powder)
· Cleaning supplies (Mops, brooms, Lysol, trash bags)
· Flashlights
· First-aid kits
· Non-perishable food items (Canned/packaged food, bottled water, sports drinks)
· School supplies (paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, lunch boxes, book bags, folders, etc.)

Mariners announce “100 Bike Giveaway” in honor of Bike Virginia

The Pulaski Mariners, the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, and LewisGale Hospital – Pulaski announce bike giveaway to benefit NRV Christmas Stores

(L to R) Wayne Carpenter, Angie Covey, Mona Whitteker, Mark Nichols, and Abby Lyman
(L to R) Wayne Carpenter, Angie Covey, Mona Whitteker, Mark Nichols, and Abby Lyman

PULASKI, VA – The Pulaski Mariners, the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce and LewisGale Hospital – Pulaski wish to honor the Bike Virginia participants by starting a “100 Bike Giveaway” donation to benefit local Christmas stores in the New River Valley.

The goal is to donate 100 bicycles to children or adults in need. Residents are encouraged to donate new and used bikes that will be divided between each of the Christmas Stores of the New River Valley.

Walmart stores in the region have taken the initiative of donating the first 10 bicycles to the “100 Bike Giveaway”. The Walmart stores of Wytheville, Galax, Christiansburg, Pearisburg, Stuart, and Martinsville have each generously donated a bike. And the Walmart stores of Dublin and Fairlawn have each donated two bikes.

Cash donations are also welcomed and can be made out and sent to the Pulaski Christmas Store, P.O. Box 2464 Pulaski, VA 24301. The Pulaski Christmas Store will be the coordinating charitable recipient and donations may be tax deductable. Cash donations can also be sent to any of the three title sponsors of the “100 Bike Giveaway”. In general, a $50.00 donation is sufficient to buy a new child’s bicycle.

The deadline to donate bikes for the “100 Bike Giveaway” will be on Friday, June 24th, 2011. Bike totals will be announced at Calfee Park on June 25th before the Pulaski Mariners take on the Princeton Rays at 6:00 pm.

Bikes may be dropped off at the Southwest Times, the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, or Calfee Park during regular business hours.

For any questions about the “100 Bike Giveaway”, please contact Peggy White at 540-674-1991 or Abby Lyman at 540-980-1070.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Pulaski Mariners. Click here to view the original story.