Sponsor Spotlight: Navy Federal Utilizes Blue Wahoos Stadium For Employees’ Event

 

The versatility for holding events at Blue Wahoos Stadium was recently exemplified during a partnership with Navy Federal.

In its annual “Big Day Out” employee appreciation event, Navy Federal was able to provide a festive, carnival-style setting for the company’s Pensacola employees and their friends and families.

More than 4,000 attended the Oct. 19 event, exclusive for Navy Federal employees, families and guests. It included live bands, inflatable slides and bounce houses, live reptiles provided by Reno’s Reptiles of Pensacola, a mechanical bull, face painters, a pumpkin patch, balloon artists, various food and vendors and bingo and casino-style games for adults.

All of this happening at the same time on a Saturday afternoon.

“It’s our biggest private event by a longshot,” said Shannon Reeves, the Blue Wahoos’ events sales manager. “We just turn the stadium into something it normally isn’t. There’s just so much happening and it creates a fun experience for everyone.”

Navy Federal is a charter partner, joining as sponsor with the Blue Wahoos’ inaugural 2012 season. In addition to an outfield fence sign, the company’s partnership has been visible in a variety of other ways throughout each year, including as a game-day sponsor during the Blue Wahoos home schedule.

The “Big Day Out” event has been a signature element of the partnership.

“We’re grateful to be connected,” Reeves said. “They’re so good and it’s fun seeing them grow. I feel like we’ve been able to grow this event with them.

“Their communications team has been fantastic. They have a great team of planners there.”

With its 7,500-plus employees in the Pensacola area, Navy Federal has become a huge economic engine for the region. Blue Wahoos Stadium has been a natural venue the company’s appreciation day.

“We really start planning the next one this right after the (current) event ends,” Reeves said.

A prior forecast of rain this time added to the challenge. Fortunately, the weather cleared by noon, the sun returned and the event was another big success.

“Everything worked out, other than I lost sleep,” said Reeves, laughing. “But in the events world, this happens. I was a wedding planner for a long time.. more than 10 years…. so I certainly have been one to watch the weather and refresh a weather app about 40 times a day.

“We wanted to do everything we could to keep it on the planned date.”

As Reeves emphasized, Blue Wahoos Stadium can be utilized for these types of events for other companies as well.

When built, the bayfront stadium was designed to be a multi-use facility. It’s something available for other employee appreciation days on smaller-scale levels.

“While we have limited dates, we open the stadium or the grounds to the community almost every single weekend,” Reeves said.

On Navy Federal’s “Big Day Out,” children and their parents were able to enjoy the entire grounds. For the first time, Reno’s Reptiles and staff were able to put a few of its species on the field.

A sizable, African spur-thigh tortoise, crawled on the infield grass a few feet from an Albino Burmese python. Both creatures were main attractions for kids and picture-takers and weren’t fazed by the amount of people around.

“That was obviously a big hit,” Reeves said. “We had a lot going on. If you can imagine it, we can do it. The stadium lends itself to being a concert venue, a festival fair, a picnic, a place for kids to play, all at once.”

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

Jumbo Shrimp help package 50,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Members of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s front office volunteered at Maxwell House Wednesday to help package 50,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger’s packaging event.

“We are thankful to have been included in such a great event,” said Jumbo Shrimp Director of Community Relations Andrea Williams. “We’re proud to partner with our neighbors at the Maxwell House to be able to do something so impactful! At our very core, we strive to be great community stewards and give back to a community that gives us so much.”

Over two hours, the Jumbo Shrimp packaged meals of 23 essential vitamins and nutrients, vegetables, soy protein and white rice. The event was the first in the offseason for the club’s annual #ShrimpService.

Rise Against Hunger supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to end hunger by 2030. The organization works in four focus areas as its Pathways to End Hunger: Nourishing Lives, Empowering Communities, Responding to Emergencies and Growing the Movement.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Their inaugural season garnered the Southern League’s Don Mincher Organization of the Year, Promotional Trophy and Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year, won by General Manager Harold Craw. The club added its second Promotional Trophy in three years following the 2019 season. To experience the excitement with the terrific value of ticket and group options, call the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visit www.jaxshrimp.com.

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

Boo Bash at Spectrum Field is October 31st!

Boo Bash returns to Spectrum Field on Thursday, October 31st, from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m for a night of candy and costumes! The free, safe, and family-friendly Trick-or-Treat event is hosted by the City of Clearwater and the Threshers. Join us for over 25 candy stations on the concourse donated by local businesses, photo ops, and the on-field costume parade and hayrides.

Admission and parking is free. Home plate and left field concession stands, the playground, and Tiki Bar will be open.

Spectrum Field is located at 601 N Old Coachman Rd. in Clearwater and the office may be reached at 727-712-4300.

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

Blue Wahoos Present Opportunities At Pine Forest HS Career Day

 

Career day at Pine Forest High School enabled the Blue Wahoos to help broaden their awareness.

Seated in front of a Blue Wahoos table cover, complete with informational material and giveaway items, Alex Sides, the team’s vice president of sales, along with Danielle Djuric assistant human resources assistant, provided insight Tuesday on first-job opportunities with the team.

They were part of a variety of career representatives, including Navy Federal, WEAR-3 TV, and all branches of the armed services, with displays inside the school’s gymnasium. The career day also included the University of West Florida, Pensacola State College, University of South Alabama and other area and region universities.

“They were pushing it to juniors and seniors, but all students were allowed to participate,” said Djuric, herself a Pine Forest and UWF graduate.

“It was done over two 30 minute lunches,” Sides said. “It was a good variety of kids.”

Each student was required to ask a question at each company display in exchange for a sticker to fill a card for potential prizes in a drawing as the event concluded. The requirement pushed students to engage with each of the participating companies and gain understanding about job positions.

Djuric said the questions included, “What are you? What do you do? What inspired you to work in sports? What do I have to do to work for the Blue Wahoos. What kind of jobs are there? Where do you start if you want to work for the Blue Wahoos?”

“For me, since this was my first one (job fair), it was inspiring to shed light on (team),” Sides said. “Some of them were not sure obviously where they wanted to go, or if they were looking at a bunch of schools and we able to position it to say, ‘Find one of these schools and we would love to work with you after,’ so it was good.”

The students were also informed about the summer positions with the team during the baseball season. The Blue Wahoos seek new people and welcome younger people each year to work the 70 home games in a variety of jobs.

The students inquiries ranged from ones whose parents were season ticket holders and had been to games, along with students who did not know about the Blue Wahoos.

“Probably at least 20-percent had never heard of the Blue Wahoos,” Drujic said.

“Most of them see the team, but don’t realize the concessions, the stadium operations, everything that goes behind it,” Sides said. “So maybe that can trigger them to think about sports management (in college) or other positions.”

The minimum age requirement is 16 to work part-time with the Blue Wahoos. The team holds job fairs in January where interviews are conducted after applicants fill out forms.

“They were right at the brink of the age,” Sides said. “So a lot of them were asking, ‘How old to I have to be to work there?’ We said 16 and some of them were saying, ‘Yes!’ and then you had the 14 and 15 year-olds saying, ‘Ah, I have a couple more years,’ so we got a lot of those responses.”

Djuric said the Blue Wahoos welcome any opportunity to display at job fairs and educate people on the variety of opportunities in professional baseball.

“I really commend the school for getting students thinking about this so early on,” she said. “I know for me, it really wasn’t until my senior year for something like this.”

Probably at least 20 percent had not heard of the Blue Wahoos .” Danielle said.

“Most of them don’t see what putting a game on entails, the concessions, the stadium operations the everything that goes behind it,” Sides said.

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

Blue Wahoos Make Global Impact With Equipment Donations

 

Standing in front of a mud-brick house, we exchanged pleasantries as best we could in our broken Spanish, our families were well and we were glad to be there, before getting down to business and posing the same question as always.

What do you need?

It’s a near-foolish question, given that the community we stood in was one of the poorest in Nicaragua, way up north in the Somoto region where the only thing more profound than the natural beauty is the depth of the poverty. Where a dollar-a-day makes you wealthy. Where the floors are dirt and the houses are too. Long past where the power lines stopped reaching. Where the farmers aren’t paid money for their labor, instead they’re allowed to take home some of the rice and beans they grow for their families.

There was a murmur among the crowd, a collection of the local farming families, most Honduran refugees who had banded together to try to grow food together, before a woman stepped forward. Her son, no older than six, clung to her legs.

“Socks.”

I had to double check with our translator to make sure I’d understood correctly. We had visited the village to try to find out why their well was spitting out nothing but mud, leaving them without water to drink or to grow crops, and to diagnose the illness that was rapidly killing the chickens that provided one of the only sources of protein in their diets. Socks seemed like a rather nominal ask, all things considered.

“Tell them what you did,” she said, pushing her son in front of her while casting the I’m-not-angry-I’m-disappointed look that only mothers own.

“I’m sorry,” the boy said, his head down. “I put rocks in all the socks you brought last time and made them into baseballs.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Despite the overwhelming poverty he was growing up in–Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere and nearly half of its citizens live on less than a dollar a day–the kid just wanted to play ball.

The good thing, the non-profit I was traveling with, Helping Kids Round First, would be able to help the village fix their well and would provide medicine to keep the chicken flock healthy. While a minimal contribution, I’d be able to help the boy upgrade from the rolled-up sock baseballs he was playing with thanks to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

At the end of the 2019 season, a thrilling first year as a Minnesota Twins affiliate, the team came together for one final community service project.

As the Blue Wahoos players packed up their belongings to head home for the off-season, they filled box after box with equipment–bats, balls, cleats, gloves, catcher’s gear, tennis shoes, and, yes, socks–to be donated.

From there, their equipment was packed into suitcases and lugged through a series of connecting flights before barely escaping scrupulous customs agents in the Managua airport who wondered why I had two dozen pairs of brand name cleats in my luggage. Then it was loaded into a truck and driven down dirt roads across Nicaragua to be given out to children in one of the poorest regions of the world.

While the athletic socks the team had donated, the same royal blue knee-highs the Wahoos wear on the field, would be comically large on the boy, the stack of Southern League baseballs I had stuffed into my suitcase would at least save the pair on his feet from being rolled up and turned into a ball.

—

Helping Kids Round First’s work in Nicaragua started accidentally over 30 years ago. The non-profit’s founder, Craig Severtson, had traveled to the country in the midst of its civil war, a decades-long, brutal conflict between the government and the people that left over 50,000 dead. In an act of peaceful opposition to the fighting, Craig joined local families in their fields, picking crops and doing basic handiwork, helping families get through day-by-day while husbands and fathers fought in the conflict.

Friendly chatter in the fields turned to talk of baseball despite the sound of gunfire in the distance. After hearing that Craig was a ballplayer, the local farmers quickly scheduled a game between the American volunteers and local Nicaraguans.

When word got out that there would be a ballgame, a ceasefire was called. The men were called off the battle field and onto the baseball field. The same soldiers they were fighting against, armed with rifles, circled the field to provide protection.

For nine innings, the war stopped.

The community had just one ragged ball and one chipped wood bat. Every time a foul ball was hit, the game paused until the baseball could be tracked down and returned to the field. The fielders on both teams shared gloves, leaving them at their defensive position at the end of each inning. Livestock roamed freely in the outfield.

When he returned to the United States, Craig vowed he would return to the village with new baseball equipment. If the game was powerful enough to pause a war, the least he could do was bring them new bats and balls and gloves.

So he did. Carrying a single suitcase filled with gear, he returned to the community. The response was so strong, the people so grateful, that he did it again at the next community over. And again. And again. And again. Soon, he needed to bring friends along to help carry all the suitcases of baseball equipment.

Three decades later, the non-profit now brings over 20,000 pounds of baseball equipment annually to Nicaragua.

While providing baseball gear is a worthwhile project, the game has more importantly provided a foot-in-the-door for more significant aid. On each return trip, Craig made a habit of asking the same question, “What do you need?”, while handing out baseballs and gloves. The answers have always varied.

In the oppressively hot and arid northern regions of Nicaragua, extended drought had made it nearly impossible to grow enough food to survive. Kids can’t play ball if they’re starving. Helping Kids Round First began digging wells, providing water tanks and solar panels to power irrigation, bringing fertilizer and chickens, and now helps feed thousands daily.

In the eastern autonomous regions of the country, rough jungle roads make healthcare almost completely inaccessible, leaving rural families with five-plus hour treks to the nearest hospital with functioning equipment. Kids can’t play ball if they’re sick. Helping Kids Round First now ships two containers of medical equipment for every shipment of baseball equipment, bringing hospital necessities like X-Ray machines, fetal heart monitors, and electric hospital beds to clinics across the country.

The projects have become numerous. Scholarships for students who otherwise couldn’t afford to go to college. Health fairs in rural communities where women have never had access to a female doctor before. Daycares that provide quality education and allow single mothers to hold steady employment. Nursing homes that provide safe quarters to homeless elderly. Softball equipment to give young girls the same access to sports that boys enjoy. Each community’s needs have been different and each solution started with the simple act of bringing a ball and a bat to a kid who previously didn’t have one.

—

The equipment donated by the Blue Wahoos will end up in communities across Nicaragua, but the majority of the first shipment, what I carried in a pair of stuffed duffel bags, found a home at a small baseball academy in the city of Rivas, nestled alongside Lake Nicaragua in the southern stretches of the country.

Prior to the war, Nicaragua had seemed destined to join the Dominican Republic and Cuba as one of the baseball greats in Latin America. Dennis “El Presidente” Martinez had become the country’s first big leaguer in 1976 and quickly established himself as a bona fide ace. Tony Chevez reached the majors a year later as one of the league’s top pitching prospects. Albert Williams and Porfi Altimirano became bullpen mainstays for the Twins and Phillies, respectively. David Green, a prospect so lauded that he was compared to Willie Mays and dubbed “the next Roberto Clemente, left scouts from every big league team scrambling to book flights to Nicaragua to look for the next superstar.

The war stopped all that. The country quickly became too dangerous, the political situation too tenuous for Major League teams to have a presence, and the scouts fled the country as quickly as they’d come.

It wasn’t until the late 1990s that enough peace prevailed for teams to return to Nicaragua. The country produced a pair of stars, Marvin Benard of the Giants and Vicente Padilla of the Phillies, as the 2000s approached, but the war had left the country so ravaged that growth both financially and in the game was dreadfully slow.

Finally, in the 2010s, Nicaragua finally seemed ready to truly establish itself as a baseball powerhouse. Everth Cabrera electrified as an All-Star shortstop for the Padres. Erasmo Ramirez settled in as a stalwart in the Mariners and Rays rotations. J.C. Ramirez became one of the Angels top relievers. Cheslor Cuthbert won a World Series with the Royals. In the minors, Kevin Gadea (Rays), Roniel Raudes (Red Sox), and Jonathan Loaisiga (Yankees) shot up top prospects lists with the game’s best teams. Reporters went as far as to declare that a “Golden Era for Nicaraguan Baseball” had begun.

Unfortunately, history repeats itself. In the ’70s and ’80s, the good guys had beat the bad guys in the war. Over time, though, the good guys became the bad guys and simmering political tension recently turned again to all-out war, turning the golden age dark almost overnight. As the fighting took over the streets, the economy crashed and scouts again pulled out of the country. Even El Presidente himself shut down his baseball academy, one he’d run for almost two decades after his Major League career ended.

That left Johnny Alvarez, a former collegiate ballplayer turned coach, trying to almost-singlehandedly keep the professional side of baseball alive in his country. A former assistant coach at Martinez’s academy, he continued training young prospects, establishing a makeshift academy in his hometown after El Presidente’s ceased operations. Helping Kids Round First has remained its sole financier and provider of baseball equipment.

While Alvarez is poor, the young players he trains often come from even humbler backgrounds. In 2016, the first prospect from his academy signed professionally when Nixson Munoz, a left-handed pitcher, inked a contract with the Boston Red Sox.

At the time, we took Nixson to dinner to celebrate. As we all ate, I noticed Nixson had barely touched his food. It wasn’t until Johnny’s wife leaned over and patiently demonstrated how to cut his meat with a knife and fork that he began to eat. The young man had come from a family so poor he was unsure how to use silverware correctly in a restaurant.

Following dinner, we had proceeded to the parking lot to unload the baseball equipment we’d brought for Johnny’s academy. As we carried duffel bags across the parking lot, Nixson stopped me.

“Are there any gloves in the bags?”

“Of course,” I answered. “Do you need a new one?”

“Not a new one,” He responded. “Any one. I don’t have a glove.”

The kid was so talented he’d been signed by the Boston Red Sox but didn’t even own a baseball glove.

Thanks to the donations from Pensacola players, more kids like Nixson will gain access to the game. The same cleats that raced around the bases at Blue Wahoos Stadium will continue running across dusty fields in Central America. The same gloves that caught fly balls and snagged grounders in front of the Hoosville faithful will soon become the first glove a child owns in Nicaragua. The same Southern League baseballs that were hit in the batting cages underneath the stands in Pensacola will be hit by bats and tree brances and replace rolled-up socks on playing fields a thousand miles away.

Through the generosity of the Blue Wahoos players, the 2019 season will be one that continues to live on for years to come.

Daniel Venn is the Media and Public Relations Manager for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and a board member for the 501(c)(3) non-profit Helping Kids Round First. His novel Beyond Baseball:Rounding First details his work in Nicaragua helping to spread the game of baseball globablly.

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

Blue Wahoos to host annual Soul Bowl showcase of youth football

Get tickets now!

The 28th annual Soul Bowl, a full day showcase of area youth football and family-fun activities, will again be played at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Oct. 12 in partnership with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and the Southern Youth Sports Association.

The event features the SYSA Tigers and East Pensacola-Magee Field Rattlers competing in five different age division games, along with the possibility of two games against another area youth team. Gates will open on at 8 a.m. that day. The first game will begin at 9 a.m. featuring the youngest age group, followed by oldest age division in the final game.

Age divisions are 6-under, 8-under, 10-under, 12-under, 14-under. The festival of football and community spirit has been presented for the past several years by Troy Rafferty and the Levin-Papantonio Law Firm.

In addition to watching exciting football, it will also be Public Safety Day outside the bayfront stadium.

Area police, fire department and emergency personnel will be gathered in the area along Reus Street to show the public various First Responders demonstrations important in their jobs.

Tickets are now on sale with a discount for advance purchase. The general admission ticket is $7 for all ages, $9 on Oct. 12. It is a full-day, one price ticket, so buying early saves money. Children 2-under will be admitted free. Re-entry will be allowed by showing the ticket.

To purchase tickets in advance, use this link. The box office at Blue Wahoos Stadium will be open on Oct. 12 as well for tickets.

Just outside the stadium, a fun-for-the-family, tailgate experience will occur, including a row of vendors offering a variety of Soul Food and other delights. On the stadium concourse, the third base side concessions will offer food items from Fish & Hits Pub and Hook, Line & Sinker storefronts, which will include traditional fare of burgers, hot dogs, fries, chips, popcorn, sodas and other items plus some of the specialty offerings.

There will be music and a stadium announcer to help entertain fans and keep the atmosphere lively. This is the eighth year the Soul Bowl has been held at Blue Wahoos Stadium and provided another way for the community to enjoy the waterfront stadium and its amenities.

This event has annually becoming a community gathering venue to enjoy youth football, family spirit and friendships. Blue Wahoos team owner Quint Studer, along with Escambia County commissioner Lumon May, work throughout the year to help make the Soul Bowl a special experience for the kids.

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

Free Coaching Workshops At Blue Wahoos Stadium

Register Now!

Reviving Baseball In Inner Cities (RBI) Pensacola and the Positive Coaching Alliance will host a pair of free two-hour workshops for local coaches at Blue Wahoos Stadium in September, bringing advice from top athletes and coaches nationwide to help local coaches from all sports develop new skills to lead their athletes.

Coaches and parents of athletes are invited to attend either of the free sessions, one held on Thursday, September 12 from 7:00-9:00 PM at the Better Homes and Gardens Main Street Properties Lounge at Blue Wahoos Stadium with the second held on Saturday, September 14 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in the same location.

RBI Pensacola is a local chapter of the nationwide Reviving Baseball In Inner Cities program designed to help provide young people from underserved areas with the opportunity to play baseball and achieve academic success. In Pensacola, they provide both baseball and softball programs, helping increase participation in the sports among under-served youth, encourage academic achievement, promote greater inclusion of minority communities in the games, and teach young athletes the value of teamwork.

The Positive Coaching Alliance has led over 20,000 workshops for leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes nationwide, reaching over 19 million youth since 1998. Using their Double-Goal pedagogy, they focus on using positive reinforcement and the importance of teaching life lessons to produce better athletes and better people.

Register now!

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

Eight-year-old Pensacola girl embraces Home Run For Life moment

Before she ever got the go-ahead signal, Scarlett Helm was ready to race around the bases.

Helm, an 8-year-old Pensacola girl, who successfully battled through attention deficit disorder and undiscovered diabetes, was honored for her courage and spirit Saturday in the season’s final “Home Run For Life” celebration during the Blue Wahoos game against the Jackson Generals.

Smiling and eager to embrace the moment, Helm raced around the bases as a sellout crowd cheered and both teams’ lined the baselines to congratulate her.

Her life has changed since February. Back then, her parents noticed she was often exhausted and experiencing frequent, erratic, mood swings. Her appetite decreased. She couldn’t gain weight.

Her parents figured it was part of side effects from the medication she was taking for attention deficit, hyperactive disorder. But as she began to fall into worse symptoms, her parents suspected something more serious was happening.

Her pediatrician conducted a blood test which revealed her blood-sugar levels were almost three times the normal range. She was immediately admitted into the Pediactric Emergency Room at Sacred Heart Hospital. It was then discovered she had Type 1 diabetes.

With treatment, care and her parents help, the diabetes in now under control and Helm is a normal, young girl.

She recently started second grade at the Montessori School of Pensacola. She listed her favorite animal as a sloth on her biography. He favorite movie is Rapunzel.

She is now enjoying gymnastics.

As she showed on Saturday, Helm sped around the bases, her hair waving, her face aglow as she easily touched every base and jumped on home plate, then into the arms of Kazoo, the Blue Wahoos mascot.

It was another special moment provided by the Blue Wahoos and the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart.

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

Blue Wahoos, Covenant Care help 97-year-old WW II fighter pilot fulfill wish

Attired in a fighter pilot’s suit, Albert J. Lane clutched a cold beer in his left hand and a century of life spirit in his heart.

Mr. Lane, a U.S. Army fighter pilot in World War II, had just taken one final flight Friday night, which included a flyover at Blue Wahoos Stadium, perfectly timed after the National Anthem, as a cheering, sellout crowd waved at the vintage aircraft.

Through Pensacola’s Covenant Care, a Blue Wahoos corporate partner and its “My Wish” program, Mr. Lane was able to exit his wheelchair and settle into the co-pilot’s cockpit of a vintage, dual-wing, 1943 Boeing N2S-4 Stearman aircraft and fulfill his own wish.

It was 82 years ago when Mr. Lane, a Michigan native, last climbed into an open cockpit plane of that era, training for a future role as a B-17 Bomber in the United States Army. He remembered how to do it again Friday night.

“How about that! I got in that plane,” said Mr. Lane, excitedly, about an hour after the flight, as young children and admiring adults gathered around him on the stadium concourse.

It created a powerful, emotional scene that made even Jhoan Duran‘s no-hit bid into the seventh inning, along with the Blue Wahoos eventual 3-2 win against the Jackson Generals, seem secondary on this memorable night.

“That was really special to see,” said Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego, who stood and cheered from the dugout as Mr. Lane was honored on the first base line in the bottom of the sixth inning. “When you see a guy like him who went to World War II and served this country…I was thinking about it and thought, ‘Wow, this guy fought in World War II. He gave everything to his country.’

“And he still had energy. He began to get up from that wheelchair. That was amazing to see. I could think and see this man, say back when he was in his 20’s in that airplane.”

Mr. Lane lives in Greenwood, a small town near Marianna in Jackson County, about two hours east from Pensacola. When Covenant Care got involved and arranged a My Wish request, the Blue Wahoos joined to help provide the flyover experience at the stadium.

“It’s such a great tie-in for us,” said Blue Wahoos president Jonathan Griffith. “The wishes Covenant Care grants are local and regional and in our own footprint, so it’s awesome to be part of, and meets our own mission to improve the quality of life in our area. It’s very cool to be part of this.”

The My Wish program began about a year ago and has provided a couple hundred such final wishes, according to Covenant Care president and CEO Jeff Mislevy.

“We thought about how do we connect donors to these wishes. And it’s a unique platform,” Mislevy said. “Because an individual donor has an opportunity to entirely support a wish for someone. You make that person to person connection and there is just so much power in that.

“I wanted to be here to see him fly over. It chokes you up in a way. I can’t imagine the emotion that must be pouring through his veins right now. That’s what powers us to do this. And this was unique to him.”

The gold vintage bi-plane that Mr. Lane was flown in was provided by Pensacola’s Roy Kinsey, who operates Veterans Flight and annually participates in the Pensacola Beach Air Show.

Kinsey and others at Pensacola Aviation Center helped Mr. Lane from his wheelchair. They aided him to climb on a step-stool, hoisted him on the wing and into the open-air co-pilot cockpit of the plane. Kinsey then flew the aircraft.

Lane’s physician, Robin Albritton, who lives in Marianna and works there at Jackson Hospital, was at Blue Wahoos Stadium standing on the concourse, watching the flyover.

“When Covenant Care called me two weeks ago to tell me what they were doing, I put my phone down and cried,” said Albritton, his voice wavering with emotion. “He is a real American hero. He deserves this so much.

“Having taken care of him for the past eight years, I knew he probably got into that plane by himself. That man is sharp as a tack. He first came to me at 90-years-old and gave me the biggest, ol’ hug. I’ve had long conversations with him when he visits. I have done just enough to not get in his way these years. To see this is unbelievable. People like him remind me of why I do this.”

After the plane returned to Pensacola Aviation, Mr. Lane and his group traveled to Blue Wahoos Stadium. Covenant Care staff were there waiting to congratulate the World War II veteran.

The smile on his face, the throng of strangers, including so many children, who wanted to meet him and get his autograph, were poignant examples of how meaningful, how special this experience became.

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

Tampa Tarpons and ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment to Refurbish Local Playing Fields

TAMPA, Fla. – On August 28, the Tampa Tarpons will be participating in MiLB Charities’ new field refurbishment initiative, MiLB Project: Refresh powered by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment. Through the initiative, the Tarpons and the Yellow Jackets Little League will renovate Calvin Taylor Park by leveling and aligning the clay infield.

Minor League Baseball Charities is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to giving back to and enhancing the communities our teams call home. In conjunction with ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment, Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) and its teams are working to enhance local baseball and softball communities in MiLB cities across the country. Through MiLB Project: Refresh, the Tarpons and Yellow Jackets Little League will join in efforts to refurbish Calvin Taylor Park and give back to thousands of Tampa area youth baseball and softball players.

Who:   Tampa Tarpons and Yellow Jackets Little League

What: The Tarpons, with help from ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment, its local distributors and volunteers, are working with the Yellow Jackets Little League to refurbish Calvin Taylor Park as part of MiLB Project: Refresh powered by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment.

When: Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 8:00 am.

Where: Calvin Taylor Park: 611 W Indiana Ave. Tampa, FL. 33603

Why: Contribute to Minor League Baseball’s goal to give back to and enhance youth baseball and softball communities in MiLB cities across the country.

For more information, contact the Tampa Tarpons at (813) 673-3055 or TarponsPR@TarponsBaseball.com.

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

Tarpons to Host Back to School Splash on Saturday, August 10th

 

TAMPA Fla. – The Tampa Tarpons will host their second-annual Back to School Splash on Saturday, August 10th at George M. Steinbrenner Field, presented by BayCare. Gates will open at 5:15 p.m. and the first 1,000 kids ages 14-and-under will receive a Tarpons backpack.

The Tarpons will battle the Charlotte Stone Crabs at 6:30 p.m. Prior to the game, kids will can run the bases from 5:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Select Tarpons players will sign autographs on the concourse from 5:40 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

In addition, there will be BayCare mascots in attendance, and a Kids Zone set up on the concourse, including a dunk tank, face painter and obstacle course. After the game, fans are invited to stick around for a fireworks extravaganza, presented by Spectrum.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.tarponsbaseball.com, at the George M. Steinbrenner Field Box Office. Tickets start at $5 for upper reserved seating, $8 for lower reserved seating, and parking is always free.

About the Tampa Tarpons
The Tampa Tarpons are the Single-A Advanced Affiliate of the New York Yankees and a member of the Florida State League. The Tarpons play at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. For more information about the Tampa Tarpons, call (813) 673-3055 or visit www.tarponsbaseball.com.

 

Marauders Partner With Sport Clips Haircuts to Provide Free Tickets for Members of the Armed Forces on Military Appreciation Night

Bradenton, Fla. – The Bradenton Marauders have partnered with Sport Clips Haircuts to supply free tickets to active duty and veteran military personnel for the Military Appreciation Night Game on Friday, June 21. Military Appreciation Night is presented by Sam Adams. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and first pitch is at 6:30 p.m. for all Marauders Friday home games.

Sport Clips will give away up to 500 free tickets to active duty military and veterans. The tickets are available at participating Sport Clips locations. Proof of military service must be provided to acquire a ticket. No purchase is necessary at the Sport Clips location. Military members bringing family or friends to the game with them can coordinate seat locations at the LECOM Park box office.

Free military tickets are now available at these participating Sport Clips locations:

·         Sport Clips Haircuts of Bradenton – 1606 Cortez Rd W, Bradenton, FL 34207

·         Sport Clips Haircuts of Sarasota – University Walk – 8433 Tuttle Ave, Sarasota, FL 34243

·         Sport Clips Haircuts of Sarasota – Shops at Siesta Row – 3800 S Tamiami Trail, Suite #112, Sarasota, FL 34239

·         Sport Clips Haircuts of South Sarasota – 8378 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34238

June 21 will also feature the Military Heroes Card Set giveaway presented by Sam Adams. The card set features military heroes who were nominated by friends and family members. The men and women included in the card set will be honored on the field before the game. The first 750 fans will receive the card set.

The Marauders are facing the Tampa Tarpons, the Florida State League affiliate of the New York Yankees in the game on June 21.

The LECOM Park ticket office is open on Tuesday-Friday non-gamedays from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. On gamedays the box office will be open on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. until the end of the game and on weekends from two hours before first pitch until the end of the game.

For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.BradentonMarauders.com, or email MaraudersInfo@pirates.com.

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

Flying Tigers and SEU Award Full Master’s Scholarship

The five finalists were present at the game.

From Blake Academy, Craig Barber
From Alturas Elementary, Bridgett Bulman
From the Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School, Susan Carleton
From Blake Academy, Maude Graham
From Bartow High School – Lindsey Hanger

Craig Barber: Craig was raised by his grandmother. Her employment opportunities were greatly limited as she had only attended school through the fifth grade. She instilled in him that life was hard. You worked hard, then life keeps being hard and you keep working hard while you try your best to love the people around you. There was little time to talk of dreams and passions or successes and failures. Craig quickly learned that teachers have tremendous power. They can be conduits of grace and healing, or doubt and frustration. He was fortunate to have more teachers who considered their occupation to be a calling rather than a paycheck, so he personally understands the difference that a caring educator can make in the life of a young person. He knew his grandmother loved him but it was Mrs. Spencer’s 3rd grade read aloud of “Where the Red Fern Grows” that showed him how to mourn a loss. Mr. Coleman’s beginning band class opened the world of music up to Craig and gave him tools for expressing feelings that he didn’t have words for yet. Mr. Felty’s anecdotal commentary during geography class showed him that any meaningful change he hoped to make in his life would require hard work. Craig credits his teachers that he can do more than read, write, and perform arithmetic thanks to them. Craig had to lead a class in college and in that class, it set the course for his professional career, he wanted to teach.

Craig is currently a middle school teacher at Rosabelle W. Blake Academy where he teaches Video Production/Animation/Research. He has been teaching for 15 years. He looks to pursue a Master’s degree because he wants to develop and implement a leadership program for young men. As an educator and parent, he has seen that the current public education system often caters more to the female experience in ways such as placing a heavy emphasis upon narrative instruction and preferring calm collaborative instructional practices rather than active learning methods. He says that the system also struggles to equip many students with foundational life skills and character fundamentals. Earning a Master’s degree would enable Craig to connect with and lead the sort of research-driven team such a leadership program would require.

Bridgett Bulman: Bridgett’s fears and emotional stress of her childhood are what made her want to become a teacher. When Bridgett was 3 years old she was taken from her biological parents to be placed in a much better environment. When she was twelve, she was adopted by her grandparents. While they couldn’t afford much, they gave her a sense of value for the first time. This sense allowed her to understand that she held the key to her success and there was not a door of opportunity that she could not open. Her grandparents introduced her to faith and created a Christian environment for her. Bridgett’s grandmother would constantly quote the verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, Philippians 4:13. Little did she know, that verse would change her life one day. She yearned for the chance to help a child feel accepted and realize their life was valuable. She wanted the chance to help a child understand, no matter their circumstances, they, too, can succeed. Her fears helped motivate her to have a love of learning and she wants her students to develop that same love. Bridgett currently teaches at a Title 1 school and has been able to connect with these students on a personal level because she can personally relate to their struggles.

Bridgett teaches first grade at Alturas Elementary. She hopes to get a Master’s in Educational Leadership to further her goal of becoming a leader within her community. Her grandparents did not believe in the power of education. Her grandfather dropped out of high school, and her grandmother didn’t finish the 7th grade. They believed education was more of a privileged than necessity. Bridgett would be the first person in her family to earn a Master’s degree. Bridgett does not just want to be an educator, she wants to be a leader and have the opportunity to mold young minds to be influential thinkers for our next generation.

Susan Carleton: Susan’s first career was in libraries, where she supervised the Circulation Department, including the high school students who shelved for them in the evenings. Mentoring these young people through their first jobs, and writing their college reference letters, offered her her first clue that she would eventually find fulfillment in a classroom. Her sons and daughter all have special needs, and so for the past 20 years her nonworking hours have been spent advocating for them, as well as supporting and supplementing their education from home. When bullying became too much for her daughter, Susan homeschooled her to catch her up to grade level, and she loved every minute. Susan’s youngest two have autism and several learning disabilities, while her eldest is gifted, ex-Mensa, and transgender. As a result, she is always “learning, adapting, changing, striving, and overcoming obstacles in a context where quitting just isn’t an option: the well-being and perhaps even survival of my own children is at stake.”

Over and over she has had friends, and her children’s teachers, and even total strangers tell her: “You should be a teacher.” For years, that wasn’t possible, because Susan’s college studies had ended years ago with the death of her father, who was a combat veteran of the US Army. Then, in 2012, she was newly divorced, living in Appalachia, and unemployed with two kids still at home. When she left Appalachia to accept a job at Walt Disney World several years ago, she was homeless for several months. Finishing her degree became a priority, for the sake of her family. Susan found joined classes filled with students half her age, worked part time jobs to pay the bills, and cared for two school-age children as a single mother. During this time, she also faced down a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis that took the vision from her right eye. Susan never missed a single class. One day in her senior year, another “mature student” asked her to be the editor for her capstone project, and at first, she refused. Susan had too much going on at home, and she didn’t want to let her down. “But I need you,” the student said. “Everyone corrects my grammar, but you’re the only one who tells me the why, and you do it without making me feel dumb.” Months later, the student graduated with her Master’s of Education degree, and Susan graduated beside her with her bachelor’s, both of them summa cum laude. Her last words to Susan that day were, “Look me up when you finally become a teacher.” Halfway through Susan’s first year teaching at Daniel Jenkins Academy, she reached out to her, only to learn that she had just passed away after a short illness. She wasn’t much older than Susan is. Susan was reminded that she has no time to lose. She wants to continue her education to support her new career, and she’s anxious now to get started.

Susan is a 1st year teacher at Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School where she teaches English to 6th and 8th grade students. In April she was voted Teacher of the Month. Every day, Susan has students who dread reading, or struggle with learning English, and both issues hold them back in the classroom. When she hears them refer to themselves or to classmates as stupid, or complain about having to read, she’s concerned that their struggles in the classroom cut too deeply into other parts of their lives and psyches. She said that for many of them, family support and other resources aren’t always available, so she needs to be able to incorporate a wide range of support for them into her teaching. She said that a Master’s degree from SEU would help her to do that. This past year has been a tremendous experience for her, and she finds herself energized by the possibilities in a career in education.

Maude Graham: On October 9, 1989, Maude Graham’s life changed forever. Her mother passed away unexpectedly. A cousin whom she did not know well was left to take care of her. Before her mom’s passing, she had already instilled in her a life’s purpose to love one another and grow from those experiences made with each other. It was Maude’s 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Barbara Rivers, who helped her escape from the pain while at school and she realized that her destiny was to help those in need as Mrs. Rivers did for her and her sisters. Maude is also a Veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard. They taught her to propel forward through any obstacle, even if she thought she had reached a limit. Maude said “A soldier has no preset boundaries. Boundaries, except for official barriers, are only accordion doors, which get pulled back and forth as necessary for the mission.” As a teacher, this means that she shows her students that they are more than their circumstances. Maude looks to imagine the impossible as possible and make everything an opportunity for her students.

Maude teaches 2nd and 3rd grade at Rosabell W. Blake Academy and her current career goal is to become an AP2 and serve as a Dean of Students and be part of a school’s administrative team. She wants to help students know why behaving properly is essential to a community, but to also help them academically by setting up daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals that allow classes to be picked randomly for her to sit in to see the great work they are doing in their classroom. She would offer school-appropriate incentives, such as a “Dean Stick” (like Spirit Sticks) for classes that are on time and work towards a common goal with no behavioral problems.

Lindsey Hanger: The first time Lindsey stepped foot in a classroom was ironically one of her high school classrooms in which she avowed never to be a teacher. In that classroom, she knew being a teacher was what she was meant to do. Lindsey fell in love with creating lessons and awakening those “deadened” teenagers. She remembers her first practicum where she got the opportunity to enhance the teacher’s lesson on Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” by brining in Switchfoot lyrics. A couple of kids who had been slouched with normal teenage angst actually sat up and discussed the theme of futility. From that moment on, Lindsey was hooked.

Lindsey has been an educator for 10 years. She is currently teaching English at Bartow High School. When looking at her career goals and how a Master’s degree will help her accomplish those, she has always looked to make a positive impact in the community. She looks to pursue a Master’s in Educational Leadership. Through different opportunities offered by her school and district, she has developed an even greater love for working with people to foster growth in the community. Over the past year she was asked to help the district construct some of the curriculum maps for secondary honors English classes. She said it was rewarding for her to work with like-minded peers on this project over the summer and a few Saturdays to help create a greater intent within the district on preparing honors students for college course work. As a part of this group, she will be presenting work at the national AP Conference in Orlando this summer. This experience is helping fuel a different fire within her: education of peers.

The winner of this scholarship was selected unanimously, from nearly 200 applicants. The 5-member review committee recognized in this applicant an unwavering support to students as well as a steadfast commitment to their own children. This applicant’s comment that they are “always learning, adapting, changing, striving, and overcoming obstacles in a context where quitting just isn’t an option” embodies the culture of SEU. Southeastern University is proud to honor the winner of this year’s scholarship to Susan Carleton, from the Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School!

SEU is committed to helping this future graduate attain her lifelong dream within education. Congratulations Susan and welcome to the SEU family!

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

Southeastern University to Award a Teacher With a Masters Degree

On May 17th the Flying Tigers will be hosting Teacher’s Appreciation Night. This is no ordinary night. One lucky teacher will be walking away with a Masters degree.

Over the past few months, Southeastern University has been accepting applications from Polk County teachers and on May 17th the top 5 finalists will be recognized and one will be awarded a Masters degree. We will be sharing all those finalists strories on here, so stay tuned.

All teachers will recieve two complimentary tickets to the May 17th game when they present their school board ID. There will be a variety of raffle prizes for teachers to win throughout the night.

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

Lakeland Flying Tigers to host Armed Forces Night presented by Wawa

The Lakeland Flying Tigers have a special evening planned for May 18, 6:00 PM.

Join the Lakeland Flying Tigers for an evening at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium to celebrate our men and women who serve our country in all branches of the military. The local JROTC will be providing a patriotic parade and the game will be followed by Fireworks presented by Aarons.

Players and coaches will be wearing special jerseys to commemorate the event.

The Flying Tigers will be honoring current and retired members of the military for their service to the country. Veterans and current military personnel will also receive FREE admission.

Come out and enjoy the festivities for our Armed Forces Night presented by Wawa as we recognize veterans that fought in the Revolutionary War, World War I, World War 2, Vietnam War, Korean War, and Operation Desert Storm.

The event starts at 6:00 PM with gates opening at 4:30 PM.

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