Kernels Continue to Help Flood Victims with Phase II

The Kernels Foundation presented a check to Amy Geiger and Board Members of the Cedar Rapids School Foundation on Thursday, September 9, 2010 prior to the Kernels playoff game against the Clinton Lumber Kings. The money was raised in part from a season-long 50/50 raffle at home Kernels games. The amount of $17,162 will be divided between six local schools affected by the 2008 flood, which include Jefferson, Harrison, Cleveland, Roosevelt, Metro, and Wilson. The monies will help provide equal opportunities to outdoor physical fitness activities and fitness programs to school children. The Foundation is committed to providing programs and introducing better life skills and leveling the playing field for the children in these neighborhoods as compared to the rest of the city. This year’s project was phase II in the Foundation’s efforts to continue to help the flood victims in Cedar Rapids.

The Kernels Foundation phase I project included building two new baseball fields and renovating a third that was damaged by flood waters. The Kernels Foundation, Minor League Baseball Charities, Baseball Tomorrow Fund, the City of Cedar Rapids, and others raised $170,000 in 2009 for the project. Because of the new playing fields, we were able to offer a free program to at-risk kids this summer. Seventy-five children were able to play baseball two nights a week at the Jones Park Complex for free, including the use of equipment and uniforms.

The Kernels Foundation presented a check to Amy Geiger and Board Members of the Cedar Rapids School Foundation on Thursday, September 9.

CarePro, the Kernels, and AEGON raise nearly $10,000 for community betterment

For the 3rd consecutive season, the Kernels teamed up with CarePro Health Services in providing a huge lift to Horizons “Meals on Wheels” by donating $5.00 to purchase a plate of hot, nutritious food for “Meals on Wheels” recipients for every run the Kernels plate in the 2010 season. The Kernels high powered offense, led the Midwest League in runs “plated” with 745 runs this season. At $5.00 per run “plated” by CarePro Health Services in their 3rd Annual “Plating for Plates” Campaign, CarePro Health Services Chief Financial Officer Gary Kaufman presented Horizons “Meals on Wheels” $3,725 on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium before the Kernels game on Saturday Night, August 21st. The $3,725 contribution from CarePro Health Services to Horizons “Meals on Wheels” provided the area community home bound citizens who rely on “Meals on Wheels” for their sustenance with 745 additional plates of hot nutritious food!

AEGON’s “K’s for Kids First” initial campaign was a success as it ran through the 2010 baseball season. AEGON is one of the world’s largest providers of life insurance, pensions and long-term savings and investment products. For every strikeout (K) that Cedar Rapids Kernels pitchers recorded, AEGON donated $5 to Kids First, a law center that gives children a voice in divorce and custody conflicts by providing legal representation and services for them. AEGON presented a check for $5,580 to Kids First on Wednesday, September 1 for the 1,116 strikeouts the Kernels pitchers recorded for the remainder of the season.

Kernels mascot Mr. Shucks and AEGON officials present a check to Kids First on September 1, 2010.

Kernels Complete 12th Year of Summer Reading Program

Over 2,000 girls and boys were recognized on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Sunday, August 22nd for reading 1000 minutes this past spring and summer in the 12th Annual Kernels Summer Reading Program, presented by Toyota Financial Services and supported by The Gazette, Rockwell Collins, and Copyworks. Cedar Rapids Kernels players and Kernels Mascot, Mr. Shucks, greeted the 1000 Minute Readers in right-center field to sign autographs and pose for pictures with them for 25 minutes prior to the game. The girls and boys and their families were then cheered by the crowd as they paraded around the Perfect Game Field.

Kernels players and Kernels Mascot Mr. Shucks visited a record 54 elementary schools throughout the eastern Iowa Corridor this past spring and summer to encourage over 25,000 students to stimulate their imaginations, discover new worlds, and make new friends through reading. Children were rewarded each 250 minutes that they read culminating with the Reader Recognition Day at the ballpark. After reading 250 minutes, the children reached 1st base and were rewarded with a free ticket to a future Kernels game and their name listed in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. After completing the next 250 minutes and arriving at second base, the kids received a free kid’s meal to Fazoli’s. The third leg, which takes the readers to third base and a total of 750 minutes of reading, rewards the readers with a Kernels equipment basket. Finally, after reaching home plate and 1,000 minutes read, children received a Kernels jersey and the opportunity to meet the players.

The Kernels congratulate all of the children who participated in the 12th Annual Kernels Summer Reading Program and thank 12th Year Presenting Sponsor Toyota Financial Services and contributing sponsors The Gazette, Rockwell Collins, and Copyworks for providing awesome rewards to the kids for their fantastic achievements.

Cedar Rapids Kernels players sign autographs on the field during Reader Recognition Day on Sunday, August 22.
Kernels players Michael Wing and Fabio Martinez participate in one of the Kernels 54 reading programs throughout the Cedar Rapids area this spring and summer

League of Dreams Takes Flight

The Cedar Rapids “League of Dreams” celebrated opening night June 15, 2010 at Jones Park. All participants were 2nd and 3rd graders from five local schools severely affected by the flood of 2008. The league consisted of six teams that played a total of twelve games that culminated on July 21st.

The “Cedar Rapids League of Dreams” is an outgrowth of the Jones Park Baseball Project which was announced last fall in response to the flood that devastated Cedar Rapids in 2008. The Jones Park Project was formed to upgrade the number and quality of baseball fields in Cedar Rapids. Now, the “League of Dreams” gives 75 kids a chance to play on one of those fields. The league was designed to help schools, children, and families hit the hardest by the flood to participate in a fun, relaxed, and informative baseball program.

The 75 youngsters and 6 coaches who comprised the new League of Dreams visited Perfect Game Field Thursday, July 1 for a Cedar Rapids Kernels pre-game ceremony. Jim Ecker from Perfect Game, Tom Barbee, President of the Kernels Foundation, and Mike O’Neil with the Parks and Recreation Department, presided over the ceremony.
The teams played a game on Perfect Game Field and enjoyed a picnic at Veterans Memorial Stadium on July 27th to wrap-up the season.

The youth baseball league, sponsored by the Cedar Rapids Kernels, Perfect Game USA, Rawlings Sporting Goods, Minor League Baseball Charities, the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department, with a big assist from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, offered 75 girls and boys the chance to play baseball this summer at no cost. The newly formed League of Dreams will become an annual event each summer.

Perfect Game USA employee Jim Ecker gives instructions to League of Dream players prior to a game at Perfect Game Field

BANDITS AWARD INAUGURAL KEITH LUCIER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

In a moving ceremony during Saturday night’s River Bandits game at Modern Woodmen Park, Amanda Stahle was introduced as the recipient of the inaugural Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship. Her first full year as a student at the University of Iowa will be funded by the Bandit Scholar Program when she embarks on her college career next fall in Iowa City.

Stahle, a senior at Bettendorf High School was selected from an impressive pool of applicants from the Quad Cities area that are planning on heading to Iowa for their college studies. Based on the application and interview process, conducted by a committee consisting of Keith’s family, friends and co-workers, it was determined that Stahle most exemplified the type of person that Lucier was. She is extremely active in education, athletics and community involvement. All qualities that were critical in selecting the ideal candidate for the scholarship.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to sincerely congratulate Amanda on winning this scholarship,” said Bandits owner Dave Heller. “She is a young lady very deserving of this scholarship for all that she does in the community and her dedication to bettering herself through education. I have no doubt that success lies in Amanda’s future and we are delighted that we can help through the Bandit Scholars program.”

This year’s scholarship reflects the beginning of the Bandit Scholars program. Bandit Scholars was founded by River Bandits owners Dave Heller and Bob Herrfeldt and it is funded by fan donations and fund-raising efforts by the River Bandits. The Lucier Scholarship is named for former River Bandit assistant general manager, Keith Lucier, who passed away suddenly in April, 2009 from a brain aneurysm. It is an annual scholarship that is designed to give a Scott County student free tuition for their first year of school at the University of Iowa and a summer internship with the River Bandits.

“We were searching for somebody that reflected who Keith was,” said River Bandits General Manager Kirk Goodman. “Based on Amanda’s application, we knew she was a strong contender for the scholarship. When we had the pleasure of speaking to her in person, there was no doubt in our mind that she was the ideal candidate to represent Keith and all he stood for as the recipient of the scholarship.”

Amanda Stahle of Bettendorf is the first recipient of the Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship (Photo courtesy of Quad Cities River Bandits)

BANDITS GIVE BACK IN A BIG WAY THIS YEAR

For the Quad Cities River Bandits, the baseball season starts in April and winds down in September. The season of giving, however, lasts all year long.

As 2010 looms just a calendar-flip away, the River Bandits are proud to reflect on a year in which the team was directly responsible for putting $145,470 into the Quad Cities community in 2009. From donated goods and tickets to fundraising efforts and charitable partnerships, the team was able to help a variety of groups and causes throughout the year. The River Bandits also created the Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will give away a scholarship covering the entire first year’s tuition at the University of Iowa for one lucky resident of the Quad City Area, and were heavily involved in community activities, donating hundreds of hours of labor into the Quad Cities in addition to having a significant monetary impact.

“We strive to be an integral part of the Quad Cities, and part of that means giving back to our friends, fans and neighbors,” said owner Dave Heller. “The River Bandits want to do our part to enhance the quality of life in the Quad Cities and make it an even better place to live, work and raise a family. This community has been so supportive of us; we want to be generous in our support of it. That means donating our money, donating our time, donating items to help others raise money, raising money ourselves for area charities, and partnering with great companies like Modern Woodmen of America and Genesis Health System to make a real difference in the lives of Quad Cities families.”

The River Bandits proactive philosophy of investing in the Quad Cities is what led to the six-figure impact in the community. The River Bandits Book Buddies program included nearly 60 schools and 14,000 students in its eighth year, encouraging youth reading and donating $56,825 worth of tickets to area youngsters. Merchandise, tickets and other items contributed to a total value of $38,917 that was handed out in response to widespread donation requests. Another $37,590 was paid out to various non-profit and community groups that worked in the ballpark to raise funds or participated in the FUNdraising ticket-selling program, while $7,070 was raised through in-game contests and fan-generated donations.

A pair of jersey auctions over the course of the 2009 season raised $2,346 for the Vera French Foundation and another $1,445 for Genesis Health System’s Flu Free Quad Cities program. The frequent post-game Tennis Ball Toss brought in $5,068 that was split among 16 different charities over the course of the season.

Monetary donations and fundraising were just the tip of the iceberg. In June, the River Bandits announced the formation of the Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship that serves the dual purpose of honoring a former employee and paying for a full year of tuition to an incoming freshman at the University of Iowa. Modern Woodmen Park also played host to the Challenger Little League for their tournament in early September, a truly inspirational event that has become an annual fixture.

Between Rascal the River Bandit, Bandits’ staff members and team players, more than 120 hours were spent in the community visiting schools, libraries and community centers. Members of the front office staff are heavily involved in the community, participating in programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters Lunch Buddies, Junior Achievement, Pups Assisting with the Disabled, World Relief and Achieve Quad Cities. Vice President and General Manager Kirk Goodman sits on the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley and Assistant General Manager Stefanie Brown is a member of the board for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The growing River Bandits Speakers Bureau is designed to provide speakers at no cost to community groups, schools, businesses and other groups throughout the Quad Cities, in part to help educate youth on potential careers in the sports industry.

“One of our goals as an organization is to be as visible as possible in our community,” said Vice President and General Manager Kirk Goodman. “Our front office staff is made up of great people that want to make a difference and have the ambition to act on that impulse. Every dollar we raise stays right here in our community, which is a promise our ownership made to the Quad Cities from the very start. We also have a full-time position dedicated to represent the River Bandits in relationships with local charitable organizations. Community involvement is something we take great pride in, and at the end of the day it is very satisfying to reflect on the positive impact the River Bandits make throughout the Quad Cities.”