Blue Rocks Urge Fans To Support Local Food Establishments

 

Wilmington, DE – In a point in time where “social distancing” has become the norm and it feels like the only certainty currently is uncertainty, it’s important now more than ever to remember that everyone is in this situation together. Amidst the unprecedented circumstances facing the nation and world right now, the Wilmington Blue Rocks would like to strongly encourage all fans to support food establishments in our local community so that we can all get through these uncertain times together and look forward to brighter and baseball-filled days.

Many great food establishments in our community are still open and offering takeout and/or delivery options. They provide jobs to those in our community and offer an alternative to grocery stores that are being heavily taxed by unprecedented levels of demand. Many of these organizations are small businesses and/or independently owned. They would greatly benefit from any support of the community during this time. The Blue Rocks take great pride in being a focal point of the community for over 25 years and the outpouring of support that we have seen during this time inspires and drives us to work even harder at this.

Any Blue Rocks fans considering takeout or delivery as a meal option over the next several weeks should especially consider patronizing the following establishments that are valued partners of the team:

Café Napoli

Capriotti’s’

Feby’s Fishery

Five Guys Burgers & Fries

The Greene Turtle

Grotto Pizza

Joe’s Crab Shack

Maryland Avenue Sub Shop

Riverfront Market

River Rock Kitchen

Texas Roadhouse – Bear

Timothy’s Riverfront Grill

For those of age and looking to accompany their takeout or delivery food choices with some locally-brewed craft beer available for takeout, please consider:

Wilmington Brew Works

Blue Rocks fans can eat up, drink up & support our local community all while staying safe and practicing responsible social distancing. We’ll all get through this together and when the time comes, the Blue Rocks will be prepared to deliver a summer of baseball and fun right here on The Riverfront!

Please Note: As of Wednesday, March 18, all of the above listed establishments were offering takeout service, delivery service or both. This is subject to change as national, state & local authorities issue further COVID-19 updates & guidance. Please verify with each establishment by visiting their web site and/or calling.

NEST, Storm Chasers Announce Annual Writing Sweepstakes

 

PAPILLION, NE (January 21, 2020) – The Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST) and the Omaha Storm Chasers have officially begun the 18th annual “Why I Want to Go to College” essay sweepstakes, Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante announced Tuesday.

Seventh and eighth grade students from around the country may submit their entries leading up to the March 27 sweepstakes deadline. Essays must be 750 words or less, describing the value of a college education and the student’s educational goals for the future. Entries are to be typed, double-spaced, on 8½-by-11-inch paper and must be the student’s original work. Each essay must be accompanied with the required cover sheet.

Three winners will be chosen from each of Nebraska’s three Congressional districts, and three others will be selected from outside Nebraska. Winners will receive contributions to the NEST college savings accounts equaling $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second and $500 for third.

All winners from Nebraska will be notified in April. Winners also receive four tickets to the Storm Chasers game on May 3 and will be recognized prior to the contest for their achievements.

Complete rules and information on the essay contest can be attained by contacting Andrea Bedore at andreab@omahastormchasers.com.

Entries must be postmarked by March 29 and sent to:

Omaha Storm Chasers

Attn: Andrea Bedore

12356 Ballpark Way

Papillion, NE 68046

The Storm Chasers begin the 2020 regular-season Pacific Coast League play at Memphis on April 9. Their first home game at Werner Park is set for April 14 against Round Rock at 6:35 p.m.

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

NATURALS HOST JOB FAIR ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13

 

SPRINGDALE, Ark. – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Patina Restaurant Group have announced that they’ll be hosting their Gameday Staff Job Fair in the Sam’s Club Community Room of Arvest Ballpark on Thursday, February 13th.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on February 13th, the Naturals and Patina Restaurant Group will be taking applications and conducting on-site interviews for part-time, Gameday associates who, if selected, will be instrumental in assisting the front office of the Naturals during the upcoming season. Job applications are currently available on www.nwanaturals.com under the EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES tab found in the FAN ZONE drop down menu.

Both organizations are seeking individuals that, if hired, will continue the tradition of providing top-notch customer service to each and every fan that visits Arvest Ballpark during the season. Applicants that attend the Job Fair are encouraged to interview with both the Naturals and Patina Restaurant Group to increase their potential for hire.

Details of each available position are listed below and additional information regarding these part-time jobs can be obtained by calling (479) 927-4900. People that are unable to make the job fair can stop out at our Administrative Offices at Arvest Ballpark between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday to fill out an application.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATURALS

Usher

Ushers must be willing to interact with fans and check for correct seat locations on tickets in their section.

Kids Zone Attendant

The Kids Zone area is for kids 12 years and younger. Attendants are responsible for ensuring all children play safely while having fun. This area includes 4 inflatables, kids train, mini-golf course and wiffle ball field.

Parking Attendants

Naturals Parking Attendants are the front line employees of our Gameday Associate Customer Service Team. Parking attendants are asked to process cash transactions and make change as needed.

Program Seller

Responsible for enthusiastically selling the souvenir programs and scorecards. This position requires a loud voice, lots of energy, and good people skills.

Clubhouse Attendant

Responsible for a clean baseball environment for all the players, coaches, and umpires throughout the course of the pre-game, during the game post-game, on the field and in dugouts. Will be responsible for retrieving bats and other equipment, chasing down foul balls, and keeping the umpires furnished with liquids periodically among various other tasks.

Mascot

Engaging, enthusiastic individual that will act out the character of the Naturals mascots “Strike” and “Sinker”. Perform at all (or majority of) home games at Arvest Ballpark and some community appearances, as requested. Must be able to be active for 2-3 hours in costume and have a willingness to show your personality through the characters. Training and a script for each game is provided, and a handler is also assigned to help with crowd control and getting mascots from place to place.

GAMEDAY POSITIONS – BUSINESS DEPARTMENT

Ticket Seller

Responsible for selling tickets on Game days and handling fan issues that should arise. Money handling and customer service experience a plus, but not required. Does require basic familiarity with computer and ability to use our ticket system, ProVenue. This position is normally finished by the second inning of the game

Ticket Scanner

Ticket Scanners are the second interaction a fan has, and should welcome the fans with enthusiasm. All Ticket Scanners will be trained in the use of the hand held scanner and Naturals Policies. Applicant must be able to stand for long periods of time.

Bag Checker

Bag Checkers are essential to Arvest Ballpark security. Associates will search and identify objects, food, and/or drink that are not allowed by Naturals & Texas League Policies. Working hand-in-hand with the ticket scanners, bag checkers will help organize the entry lines and answer any fan questions. Checkers will also manage in-game re-entry by checking fans in and out of the ballpark. Applicants must be able to stand for long periods of time.

Retail Associate

Requires organizational skills, ability to complete sales, and maintain inventory accurately. The ability to multi-task is also important as the retail store may be very busy at times throughout each game. Money handling and customer service experience a plus, but not required.

GAMEDAY POSITIONS – OPERATIONS

Grounds Crew

Gameday grounds crew is needed for majority of the 70 Naturals games along high school games and various other events throughout the season. The duties involve batting practice tear down, cleaning equipment, 5th inning infield drag/dance, and post-game patching. Applicant must be able to lift a minimum 50 pounds, be willing and able to work in various weather conditions. The Naturals grounds crew is very flexible with hours.

Ballpark Operations

Will work directly with the Ballpark Operations staff in the daily activities of the facility. Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Daily maintenance checklists to prepare ballpark for events, assist in fulfilling maintenance requests as they are received from fans, staff, or team, perform checklists during games to ensure facility is being operated and maintained to standards set prior to the season. The operations staff is very flexible with hours.

PATINA RESTAURANT GROUP

Concession Cashiers, Runners and Servers

Serve our fans in a fast and professional manner. Must be friendly, personable and well groomed.

Cooks

Preparing all food to proper temperature and ensuring consistency product. Capable of working at a fast pace.

Suite Attendants

Provide guests with reliable, professional and courteous food and beverage service. Experience in a la carte waiter service preferred.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals will return to Arvest Ballpark on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 6:35 p.m. when they host the Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros) on Opening Night of the 2020 season.

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 in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

-Naturals-

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

Help Us Support Fire Efforts In Australia

Chukars Announce Fundraiser to Benefit Australia Wildfires
Chukars offer unique fan experiences for donations to various charities.

IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO – On Tuesday the Idaho Falls Chukars announced a fundraising effort to benefit those affected by the Australia wildfires. This fundraiser will offer fans unique opportunities that are otherwise unavailable for purchase for $10 donations to charities helping the people and animals of Australia.

“It was an idea that came to us this morning.” said Chris Hall, Director of Public Relations for the Idaho Falls Chukars, “We’ve all been distraught thinking about what is going on, especially with the relationships we’ve had with Australian players and coaches over the years. We knew we wanted to help, and this is a great way for us to do it.”

Fans that donate to either the Australian Red Cross, the World Wildlife Foundation or Country Fire Authority will be entered into a raffle box of their choice. Fans will receive one ticket for every $10 donated. Prizes include: A signed Alec Marsh jersey, Chukars hat and batting helmet, batting practice passes, player meet and greets, ten free tickets, opportunity to throw out a first pitch and more.

All fans need to do is donate to the listed organizations, post a confirmation screenshot as a comment on the Chukars social media post and indicate which prize they’d like to be entered to win.

Former Australian Chukars include first baseman Ryan Dale and coach Allan de San Miguel.

For questions or more information please feel free to contact Chris Hall at 208-522-8363 or email at chall@ifchukars.com

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

NATURALS IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY

The Naturals’ fundraising program has helped raise over one million dollars since the 2010 season

SPRINGDALE, Ark – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are proud to continue to have a positive impact on Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding communities as over one million dollars has been raised for participating groups since the start of the 2010 season through the team’s fundraising and community partners program.

 During the 2019 season alone, the Naturals partnered with 173 groups and those participants combined to raise $121,898.00 through the Naturals’ in-stadium fundraising programs. Groups included but were not limited to High School Baseball teams, school and music groups, youth sports teams and organizations, churches, and non-profits.

In addition to in-stadium fundraising programs, the Naturals also help out local events through donations and mascot appearances. Over the past year, the Naturals fulfilled around 375 donation requests that equal nearly $32,000.00 in in-kind donations while sending out a mascot, either Strike or Sinker, to 65 different local events.

Visit www.nwanaturals.com, call us at (479) 927-4900, or visit our Administrative Offices located at Arvest Ballpark to learn more about the fundraising programs that the Naturals offer, donation requests, and mascot appearances.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals will return to Arvest Ballpark on Thursday, April 16th, 2019 at 6:35 p.m. when they play host to the Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros) for 2020 Opening Night.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including ticket options, group events and more, visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

-Naturals-

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

Chasers in the Community 2019 Review

 

The Omaha Storm Chasers in conjunction with Chasers Charities and Spectra Food Services and Hospitality donated $571,229.19 to numerous Omaha Metro charities in 2019, with the Storm Chasers aligning with more than 300 different organizations. Storm Chasers front office members also combined for nearly 600 hours of community service in the Omaha Metro this year.

“Relationships and community are imperative to what this organization is about,” said Storm Chasers President Martie Cordaro. “Werner Park is a community center so we have a responsibility to Sarpy County and the Omaha Metro to continue to be engaged by being present and giving back.”

During the 2019 season, the Storm Chasers organization provided a platform for 70 non-profit organizations at Werner Park as its Community Organization of the Night. The McDonald’s and Huber Chevrolet Hurl the Pearl promotion also raised $13,378 for the Ronald McDonald House. In addition, $21,395 was donated to various Omaha Metro charities, including Make-a-Wish Nebraska, Gold Glove Charities and Food Bank for the Heartland, through six different Jersey Auctions throughout the season. More than 4,000 canned goods were also donated to Heartland Hope Mission through the Storm Chasers’ Hy-Vee Canned Food Sunday promotion.

A total of $10,865.20 was also raised through the Storm Chasers’ Omaha Potholes promotion to help repair local little league fields with City of Bellevue Recreation and DC West Youth Sports damaged by historic floods this spring, along with matching donations from the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers organizations. The Storm Chasers organization’s relationship with Minor League Baseball and the efforts of President and General Manager Martie Cordaro also helped secure a joint $50,000 donation from Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association to Team Rubicon to support Winter Storm Ulmer disaster relief efforts.

The Storm Chasers organization was also visible throughout the Omaha Metro community, as the combined number of mascot and player appearances totaled nearly 300. Chasers Charities in partnership with The Weitz Company also awarded two $1,000 college scholarships through the Jackie Robinson Scholarship program to Jaden Ferguson and Damicah Dutton-Burton.

Furthermore, the Storm Chasers and Spectra Food Services and Hospitality once again provided local non-profit organizations and community groups to raise funds by volunteering at concessions stands during the season. A total of $51,531 was raised by those volunteers through this program.

In addition, over 9,000 cocktails were sold in the Jack Daniel’s Club over the course of the 2019 season, raising over $4,500 in partnership with Jack Daniel’s for Operation Ride Home.

A full overview of the Storm Chasers’ 2019 Community Relations efforts can be found online at this link: https://www.milb.com/omaha/community/home

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

Chukars Celebrating Jerseys For Charity Program

 

Idaho Falls, ID – The Idaho Falls Chukars at 4 PM on Friday will be presenting the funds raised by the Jerseys For Charity program inside the front office at Melaleuca Field. This year the Chukars donned six different special jerseys in support of community charities.

The East Idaho Public Health Department Mammogram Voucher Program, EIRMC Auxiliary, the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket, Mountain View Charity, the John L Scott Foundation, YMCA STEM Scholarship Fund, Haven, and City of Refuge are the programs supported by the money raised from these jerseys. These programs are sponsored by East Idaho Regional Medical Center, Idaho Potato Commission, Teton Cancer Institute, John L Scott Real Estate, Elevation Labs and the International Institute of Massage Therapy respectively. Representatives from these charities will be at Melaleuca Field to collect the money raised by the jersey auctions for their specific charities.

Following the presentation, members of the Chukars front office will head over to Buffalo Wild Wings at Snake River Landing to display the Pioneer League Championship Trophy. Fans can take a photo with the trophy from 5-7 PM and there will be order forms available for 2019 Pioneer League Championship T-Shirts.

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

Legends to Host Lexington’s Pride Week Kickoff June 23rd

WHITAKER BANK BALLPARK (Lexington, KY) – The Lexington Legends, in partnership with Minor League Baseball’s new initiative MiLB Pride, announce today Pride Day on June 23rd. MiLB Pride is the largest documented Pride celebration in professional sports and the Legends’ event will help kick off Pride Week in Lexington.

“We are excited to help kick off Pride Week in Lexington this year! We want every fan that walks through our gates to know that they are welcome here. Baseball is for everyone,” said Legends President/CEO Andy Shea.

From 11am until the 3rd inning of the Legends game, the organizations will be accepting donations. Attendees can choose which organization they would like to donate to with donation boxes for each organization. At the start of the 3rd inning, the donations will be counted and tallied. The Legends will match the donations (up to $10,000) in proportion of the amount of the total donations the organization received. The total will be announced during the 4th inning. A cash bar will be open while DJ Crow spins the tunes and fans can snack on hors d’oeuvres.

Ten organizations from the Lexington area will attend the event: Arbor Youth Services, AIDS Volunteers, INC. (AVOL), JustFundKY, Kentucky Bourbon Bears, Moveable Feast, Lexington Fairness, Pride Community Services Organization (PCSO), PFLAG, and the University of Kentucky Office of LGBTQ+ Resources. The Imperial Court of Kentucky will also be performing throughout the event.

Throughout the game, the Legends will be featuring the ten organizations to bring more awareness of what each does for the LGBTQ+ Community in Lexington.

Tickets are $10 each and they include entrance to the event as well as a ticket to the Legends game with first pitch at 2:05pm. Parking will be free for attendees as well.

Gates for the Legends game will open at 12:30pm for Family Playtime on the Outfield and kids (12 and under) get in FREE!

The Legends, a Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and member of the South Atlantic League, play all home games at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington, Kentucky. For ticket information, call (859) 422-7867 or visit LexingtonLegends.com.

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

Blue Rocks Announce Holiday Card Contest Winner

The Wilmington Blue Rocks are excited to announce the winner of the 17th Annual Holiday Card Contest. Over 1,000 entries were received, but unfortunately, there could be just one winner. After a tough decision process, Rocky Bluewinkle, Mr. Celery, Rubble and the rest of the Holiday Card Contest Committee decided that the overall winner was Izzy Nelson, a 5th Grader from Assumption B.V.M. School in West Grove, PA. Izzy’s artwork will be featured on the cover of the Wilmington Blue Rocks Holiday Card. Izzy will be rewarded with a ceremonial first pitch and 10 tickets to a 2019 Blue Rocks game.

The Blue Rocks also selected honorable mention recipients, whose artwork will be displayed on the back of the Holiday Card. Those garnering honorable mentions honors are:

Italia Fortebuono
Loomis Elementary School
Broomall, PA

Jaxon Morales
St. Elizabeth School
Wilmington, DE

Charlotte Munger
Assumption B.V.M. School
West Grove, PA

Evilyn Seeney
Mannington Twp School
Salem, NJ

Robert Vella
St. Edmond’s Academy
Wilmington, DE

The Wilmington Blue Rocks would like to thank all those who entered. Entries were received from students in Kindergarten thru 5th grade from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey.

Each entrant will be rewarded with 2 tickets to a Blue Rocks game in 2019 as a thank you for participating. The tickets will be mailed to the participating teachers by March.

The Blue Rocks recently announced a two-year extension of their Player Development Contract to remain the Advanced-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Season seats, mini plans and group packages for the 2019 season are available now at BlueRocks.com.

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

NATURALS ANNOUNCE ‘SEASON OF GIVING’ FOR DECEMBER

SPRINGDALE, Ark. – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are excited to announce the ‘Season of Giving’ for the month of December. For every ticket package sold during the month, the Naturals will donate four (4) Home Plate Super Premium tickets for an April game to a local non-profit or youth organization of choice by the account holder purchasing the ticket package.

The ‘Season of Giving’ will run from Monday, December 3rd through Friday, December 21st and will be honored for both renewal clients as well as new ticket holders. Fans interested may purchase season tickets, mini packs, or flex packs in one (1) of three (3) ways: online at www.nwanaturals.com; by calling (479) 927-4900; or stopping by the Naturals Front Office at Arvest Ballpark during regular business hours, which is 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Friday.

Once a ticket package is purchased, a Naturals representative will reach out to the account holder to confirm the order. The account holder will then be able to tell the Naturals where they’d like the four (4) tickets to be donated and the Naturals will handle the logistics of getting the tickets to the appropriate non-profit. There is a limit of four (4) donated tickets per account.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals will return to Arvest Ballpark next year on Thursday, April 4, 2019 when they’ll host the Springfield Cardinals (Double-A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) on Opening Night of the 2019 season. Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Facebook and Twitter @NWANaturals all throughout the year for all of the latest information on 2019.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

-Naturals-

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

Blue Rocks Staff Volunteer in Harvey Hanna Coat Drive

The Wilmington Blue Rocks front office was out in the community on Thursday as they participated in Operation Warm at Warner Elementary School in Wilmington. The event, which was presented by Harvery Hanna and The Delaware Kids Fund, provided local children with brand new winter jackets.

Kids would walk into the school’s cafeteria, introduce themselves to a volunteer from the community and then get the opportunity to pick out a jacket of their choice courtesy of Operation Warm. They then received a kindness coin and signed a giant thank you poster for the generous folks at Harvey Hanna.

“It was an awesome event,” said Blue Rocks Director of Merchandise Jim Beck. “The kids were so grateful and it was just a terrific opportunity to speak with them, get to know them a little bit and then play a very small part in putting a smile on their faces. We want to thank both Operation Warm and Harvey Hanna for giving our organization a chance to be involved.”

Operation Warm provides warmth, confidence and hope to children in need through the gift of brand new winter coats. The organization believes a brand new coat is more than a coat. Through serving millions of children in need across North America, it has seen that a brand new coat offers a child physical and emotional warmth, confidence to socialize and succeed, and hope of a brighter future. For more information on the organization their website is OperationWarm.org.

The Blue Rocks were honored by the Carolina League in 2018 with the Matt Minker Community Service Award. The award goes to the club which best demonstrates an outstanding, on-going commitment to charitable service, support, and leadership within its community. The award is named after the Blue Rocks’ founder, Matt Minker, who owned the club until his death in 2007. Minker, whose construction company built Frawley Stadium, remains the team’s honorary president.

The Blue Rocks participated in numerous school programs, charitable endeavors and hospital visits in 2018 and team works with area schools to promote academic achievement (DSEA Rocky’s Reading Challenge), citizenship (Grotto Pizza Outstanding Student Program) and overall knowledge (Discover Baseball and Education Day).

The organization also helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for good causes such as Habitat for Humanity, Fight for the Gold, Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware, Special Olympics Delaware, Food Bank of Delaware and many other charities through partnerships with local businesses such as Chase and Food Lion. Several times during the season, the team’s players and mascot also visited local hospitals, brightening the spirits of patients and their families.

The Blue Rocks recently announced a two-year extension of their Player Development Contract to remain the Advanced-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Season seats, mini plans and group packages for the 2019 season are available now at BlueRocks.com.

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

Chasers Set All-Time Charitable Giving Record

The Omaha Storm Chasers set an all-time record in charitable giving for the sixth consecutive year in 2018, assisting with over 300 different organizations. In total, the Storm Chasers franchise donated $851,237.75 to local charities over the course of their 50th season in franchise history, an increase of $51,055.30 compared to last year.

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL COMMUNITY RELATIONS REPORT (PDF)

“Relationships and community are imperative to what this organization is about,” said Martie Cordaro, President and General Manager of the Omaha Storm Chasers. “Werner Park is a community center so we have a responsibility to Sarpy County and the Omaha Metro to continue to be engaged by being present and giving back.”

The Storm Chasers organization provided a platform for 70 non-profit organizations at Werner Park as its Community Organization of the Night. The McDonalds and Huber Chevrolet Hurl the Pearl promotion also raised $17,683.25 for the Ronald McDonald House. In addition, $23,840 was donated to local charities including Methodist Hospital Foundation, Food Bank for the Heartland, NWTF, United Way of the Midlands, and Javelan through five Game-Worn Jersey Auctions, with players and coaches wearing specialty jerseys.

The organization remained visible throughout the Omaha Metro, with mascots and players combining for over 530 appearances in the community. The Storm Chasers front office also combined for 1,055 hours of community service during the 2018 campaign.

A full overview of the Storm Chasers’ 2018 Community Relations efforts can be found online at this link: https://www.milb.com/omaha/community/community-relations-report

Werner Park is slated to host the Kansas City Royals on March 25, 2019 in an exhibition game presented by Cobalt Credit Union. Tickets are still available for that contest and can be purchased at this link: http://bit.ly/2BUsp72.

Following the Royals Exhibition Game, the Storm Chasers franchise is set to start their regular season slate on Tuesday, April 9. The Omaha Storm Chasers are the Triple-A Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Storm Chasers play at Werner Park in Papillion, Sarpy County, Nebraska. For more information please visit omahastormchasers.com and follow us on Twitter @omastormchasers and at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.

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

Chasers Earn 11th Straight ‘Best of Omaha’ Honor

The Omaha Storm Chasers have once again earned top honors by being named Omaha’s Best Professional Sports Team, as selected on by voters of Omaha Magazine. This year marks the eleventh consecutive year the organization has received the “Best Professional Sports Team” award. The Storm Chasers organization accepted the award at Omaha Magazine’s Best of Omaha Soiree: A Night of the Best on Thursday night at the Omaha Design Center.

“We are proud to be the Metro’s top professional sports team for over 50 seasons,” said Storm Chasers President and General Manager Martie Cordaro. “Making the fan experience at Werner Park the best it can possibly be is our top priority and we are very excited for the 2019 season to begin with the Kansas City Royals Exhibition Game.”

The eleven-year stretch in which the Storm Chasers organization has received Omaha’s Best Professional Sports Team honor comprises all eight seasons the franchise has played at Werner Park, where the squad has won four division titles, as well as three Pacific Coast League Championships and Back-to-Back Triple-A National Championships in 2013-14. The ballpark also hosted the First National Bank Triple-A All-Star Game in 2015.

Since hosting its initial Opening Day on April 16, 2011, over three million fans have come through the gates of Werner Park. The 2018 season marked the 50th season in franchise history since the organization first began play in 1969 at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Werner Park is slated to host the Kansas City Royals on March 25, 2019 in an exhibition game presented by Cobalt Credit Union. Tickets are still available for that contest and can be purchased at this link: http://bit.ly/2BUsp72.

Following the Royals Exhibition Game, the Storm Chasers franchise is set to start their regular season slate on Tuesday, April 9. The Omaha Storm Chasers are the Triple-A Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Storm Chasers play at Werner Park in Papillion, Sarpy County, Nebraska. For more information please visit omahastormchasers.com and follow us on Twitter @omastormchasers and at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.

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

Rocky Bluewinkle Goes Trick-or-Treating With Local Kids

Wilmington, DE – On a night where kids walk around getting candy for free, Halloween is a highlight on any household’s calendar. Yet the Wilmington Blue Rocks wanted to up the ante, so they sent their mascot to tag along for some trick-or-treating with the Giles family on Wednesday evening.

Rocky Bluewinkle helped collect candy in Wilmington with youngsters Nolan and Mason. Rocky dressed in his Star Wars jersey with light saber in hand. Meanwhile, his young pals went as a baseball player and a shark. The Giles won a social media contest run by the Blue Rocks in October.

Parents Ken and Kelly accompanied the trio on their candy quest and said it was a night to cherish.

“We were the talk of the neighborhood,” Kelly said. “Almost every house got so excited and grabbed their cameras–children and adults alike.”

The young mom said this was a memory her young sons will carry with them for the rest of their life. A night they’ll tell their kids about: ‘When I was a kid I took a seven-foot blue moose mascot with me door-to-door looking for candy.’

“I mean who doesn’t love Rocky?” Kelly said. “He made the night a great one and we can’t wait to come visit him again (for Opening Night) on April 4. It was a tremendous experience.”

The Blue Rocks make community outreach a priority. The team has won five consecutive Matt Minker Awards, which goes to the club that best demonstrates an outstanding, on-going commitment to charitable service, support, and leadership within its community in the Carolina League. The award is named after the Blue Rocks’ founder, who owned the club until his death in 2007. Minker, whose construction company built Frawley Stadium, is still the team’s honorary president.

The Blue Rocks recently announced a two-year extension of their Player Development Contract to remain the Advanced-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Season seats and mini plans for the 2019 season are on sale now, while groups packages will be available for purchase November 8. The season starts on Thursday, April 4. For more information, please go to BlueRocks.com.

www.bluerocks.com

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

Blue Rocks Win Carolina League’s Matt Minker Award For Community Service

Wilmington, DE– The Wilmington Blue Rocks were honored by the Carolina League this week for the fifth consecutive season with the Matt Minker Community Service Award. The team was selected by a league-wide vote of club executives and owners.

“I could not be more proud of everyone within the Blue Rocks’ organization,” said managing partner Dave Heller. “I am especially pleased for my partner and friend Clark Minker, since the community service award bears his late father’s name. I am delighted for everyone with the Blue Rocks who worked so hard to earn this tremendous team accolade. We take enormous pride in our work helping families within Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, southern Jersey and Maryland’s north shore, and this award is a nice recognition of those efforts.”

The Minker Award is earned by the Carolina League club which best demonstrates an outstanding, on-going commitment to charitable service, support, and leadership within its community. The award is named after the Blue Rocks’ founder, Matt Minker, who owned the club until his death in 2007. Minker, whose construction company built Frawley Stadium, remains the team’s honorary president.

The Blue Rocks participated in numerous school programs, charitable endeavors and hospital visits. The team works with area schools to promote academic achievement (DSEA Rocky’s Reading Challenge), citizenship (Grotto Pizza Outstanding Student Program) and overall knowledge (Discover Baseball and Education Day). The club also hosts three youth camps each summer, teaching local kids how to play the game of baseball.

The team helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for good causes such as Habitat for Humanity, Fight for the Gold, Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware, Special Olympics Delaware, Food Bank of Delaware and many other charities through partnerships with local businesses such as Chase and Food Lion. Several times during the season, the team’s players and mascot also visited local hospitals, brightening the spirits of patients and their families.

“Matt Minker was instrumental in laying the foundation for the Blue Rocks founding and later success,” said Blue Rocks director of community affairs Kevin Linton. “It is fitting that this award recognizes his life’s work and we are thrilled as an organization to honor his legacy for a fifth consecutive season by earning this recognition.”

 

As the Carolina League’s recipient of the Matt Minker Award, the Blue Rocks received the 10-team league’s nomination for the John Henry Moss Community Service Award, given out by Minor League Baseball at its annual Winter Meetings, to be held this December in Las Vegas.

The Blue Rocks recently announced a two-year extension of their Player Development Contract to remain the Advanced-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Season seats for the 2019 season will be available on October 18, mini plans go on sale November 1, and groups packages are available for purchase November 8. For more information, please go to BlueRocks.com.

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