Military & Veterans

Staten Island Yankees to Host Megan’s Lemonade Stand to Support Wounded Warriors Project

June 11, 2014

On Sunday, June 15, the Staten Island Yankees are partnering with the Ajello’s to host a fundraising event at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George. All funds generated will go to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Megan’s Lemonade Stand will start when the gates at Richmond County Bank Ballpark open at 3 p.m. Staten Island Yankees fans will be able to donate to the lemonade that is prepared by Megan Ajello to raise money for the Wounded Warriors. Also, the first 2,500 fans in the ballpark will receive a “Megan’s Lemonade Stand” souvenir cup.

About Megan’s Lemonade Stand

The lemonade stand for charity started over five years ago in the Ajello driveway. It was the idea of Megan’s sister, Erin. Erin decided the first lemonade stand would benefit West Shore Little League, which was the first Staten Island Little League to include physically disabled children, the Challengers. The 2008 Megan’s Lemonade stand went to the Strong Kids Campaign for the YMCA. The Ajello family, including parents Linda and Danny, has been members of the South Shore YMCA since 2000. The lemonade stands continued to make thousands of dollars for charities over the years. In 2011, Linda Ajello nominated Megan as a HOPE Week nominee as part of the New York Yankees HOPE Week initiative. The New York Yankees were impressed with Megan’s determination. Megan has cerebral palsy, has a seizure disorder, cannot walk, and has gone for more than five major operations, including a spinal fusion which placed metal rods and over 37 screws in her spine. Megan has never let that stop her, and she is always smiling. The New York Yankees not only picked Megan as their nominee for July 28, 2011, they made Megan’s Lemonade Stand for charity famous. The generous New York Yankees built a lemonade stand that is truly accessible for Megan, supported the Special Olympics and also the Seton Foundation for Education.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Staten Island Yankees. Click here to view the original story.

SKY SOX LOOKING FOR LOCAL HEROES TO BE HONORARY MANAGERS

June 11, 2014

Nominate Your Hometown Hero for the 2014 Heroes Classic on Saturday, June 21

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox will be hosting the 2014 Heroes Classic Charity Softball Game on Saturday, June 21 with Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson in attendance along with many other former Major League players. Despite the many former players that will be on hand to play along side members of the Colorado Springs Police and Fire Departments as well as injured service members, the Sky Sox are still in need of one important position to fill out each roster, the manager.

In order to fill the all important manager position for each squad, the Sky Sox are asking the Colorado Springs community to nominate local citizens who have performed heroic acts right here in the Front Range region. If you know someone that deserves special recognition for a selfless act please go to www.skysox.com/heroes and fill out the online form created by Verizon Wireless to nominate that individual. The Sky Sox will be taking nominations all this week and will announce the two selected winners on Tuesday, June 17 at 5:00 PM.

The winners will be invited to the game as special VIP guests to serve as the honorary manager for one of the two teams. They will be in uniform in the dugout for the game and will be asked to enjoy the day with their players and work with Sky Sox staff to manage the various events going on throughout the game. Each hometown hero will also be recognized on the field during the game.

About the Heroes Classic: The event will raise funds for three outstanding charities, the Colorado Springs Fire Protective Association, The Police Foundation of Colorado Springs, and the Wounded Warrior Project. For each ticket purchased for the event, five dollars will go towards raising funds for these very worthy organizations. In addition, as part of the game day activities, the teams will don custom made uniforms and these unique, game worn jerseys will be auctioned off during and after the game with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the selected charities. To date, this event has raised close to $40,000 for charity.

During the game, there will be a special silent auction of all the players’ jerseys which will be held in the concourse at the main entrance of the stadium. Following the game, a live auction will be held on the Sky Sox dugout that will feature a select number of jerseys including Brooks Robinson’s. All jerseys will be autographed by the player that wore them and will be accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. The MLBPAA will also auction off a variety of baseball memorabilia during the game with a portion of the proceeds benefitting all three charities.

The two teams playing the game will consist of members of the Colorado Springs Police and Fire Departments as well as injured service members who will represent the Wounded Warrior Project.

In addition, each team will also include several former Major League baseball players, local media members and local dignitaries. Highlighting the former Major League players who will be attending the event is Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson who will be signing autographs for fans throughout the game. The night will culminate with a tremendous fireworks display following the game.

Tickets for the event come in two different options and can be purchased online at www.skysox.com, in person at the Sky Sox box office or by calling (719) 591-SOXX. Five dollars from each ticket purchased will be donated to and split evenly amongst the Colorado Springs Fire Protective Association, The Police Foundation of Colorado Springs, and the Wounded Warrior Project.

A limited number of special VIP package tickets are available for $30 and include:
- An Upper Reserved ticket to the game.
- Access to a special VIP autograph session before the game with the former Major League players, including Brooks Robinson
- Membership in the MLBPAA
- Upgrade to a box seat for just $3 more
Regular game tickets to the game will be $10 for Upper Reserved and $13 for Box Seats
Group tickets can be purchased in advance for groups of 20 or more through the Sky Sox group sales department for $7 each.

Former Major League players that will be participating in the game include:

Brooks Robinson: Hall of Fame third baseman, American League MVP in 1964, World Series MVP in 1970, 14-time All-Star, 16-time Gold Glove winner, played 23 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, won two World Series with Baltimore 1966 & 1970.
Bob Knepper: Two-time All-Star, pitcher played 15 seasons with San Francisco & Houston, won 146 games in his career including six season with 10 or more wins.
Mark Knudson: A member of the Rockies inaugural 1993 team, pitcher played in eight seasons with Houston, Milwaukee & Colorado.
Gary Krug: Mitchell High School grad and current Pine Creek JV Baseball Head Coach played for the Cubs in 1981, former Head Baseball Coach at Cheyenne Mountain High School.
Brian Fisher: A 2^nd round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves in 1980, the righty won 36 games in seven seasons with the Yankees, Pirates, Astros and Mariners.
Bobby Johnson: A catcher & first baseman who played three season with the Texas Rangers. He is also the nephew of Hall of Famer Ernie Banks.

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

CYCLONES ANNOUNCE SEAT OF HONOR FOR 2014

June 6, 2014

On a day in our nation’s history that is forever connected to the sacrifices made by the members of our armed forces, the Cyclones have announced that they will partner with Rolling Thunder – NYC Chapters to have a Chair of Honor at MCU Park. The chair, which will be painted black and feature the POW / MIA emblem, will remain unoccupied in perpetuity in honor of the more than 80,000 American soldiers who have gone missing in action.

“As a nation, we are eternally grateful for the sacrifices the men and women of our armed forces have made, and continue to make, so that we can enjoy the freedoms that come with being an American,” said Cyclones Vice President Steve Cohen. “This is our organization’s way of showing that their sacrifices will never be forgotten.”

The seat, which will be located in the first row of section seven, will be unveiled in a pre-game ceremony prior to the July 4th game against the Aberdeen IronBirds.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Rolling Thunder for this endeavor,” said Brooklyn Cyclones Account Executive Angelina Tennis, whose husband is an Army veteran that served in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a POW / MIA task force, and is heading this project for the Cyclones. “I have a personal connection to the POW/ MIA cause, so I’m especially proud that our organization is the first team in New York City to join with Rolling Thunder for this project.”

Rolling Thunder is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on POW / MIA initiatives. With over 90-chartered chapters across the United States, Rolling Thunder looks to educate the public about the tens of thousands of men and women unaccounted for in past conflicts, while also aiming to protect future veterans from being left behind. The addition of the Chair of Honor at MCU Park is another step towards the Rolling Thunder’s goal of having a POW / MIA chair in every professional sports venue across the United States of America.

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

Tigers Unveil CT Military All-Stars Promotion

June 4, 2014

Honorees to be recognized on Military Appreciation Night

The Connecticut Tigers, in partnership with the Better Business Bureau, announce the 2014 Connecticut Military All-Stars promotion in conjunction with the annual Military Appreciation Night.

For the second consecutive year, the Better Business Bureau Military Line will be the presenting sponsor of Military Appreciation Night on Friday, August 8^th. The Tigers and Better Business Bureau have teamed up with The Day to help recognize nine individuals for their service on that night.

Fans are encouraged to visit theday.com/ctmilitaryallstars between June 1 and June 13 to nominate their military all-star to be recognized. A panel of community judges will select the nine nominees they feel best fit the spirit of the promotion to be honored on the field prior to the game on August 8^th. In addition, those selected will be part of a commemorative Connecticut Military All-Stars baseball card set given away to the first 1,000 fans through the gates that night courtesy of the Better Business Bureau Military Line.

All current and former military will receive a reserved ticket and a food voucher redeemable for a hot dog, bag of chips, and non-alcoholic bottle beverage for just $7 when showing their military ID at the Dodd Stadium box office on August 8^th. In addition, the Tigers will be wearing special “stars and stripes” uniform tops that will be auctioned off during the game on the concourse. Fans will have the opportunity to bid on the jerseys in a silent auction. The proceeds from that auction will go towards a scholarship for a deserving military family to help offset the cost of college tuition through the Better Business Bureau Military Line.

There is also a $2 discount off Premium, Reserved, and Grandstand tickets with a military ID at the Dodd Stadium box office for all Connecticut Tigers games.

The Connecticut Tigers are the New York-Penn League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and play a 76 game schedule that runs from mid June through early September. The 2014 home schedule begins Wednesday, June 18^th against the Lowell Spinners (Red Sox affiliate) with fireworks after the game presented by US Foods! 2014 season tickets, mini plans, individual game tickets, and team merchandise are now on sale! The front office and ticket office is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and can be accessed in person, at cttigers.com, or by calling 860-887-7962.

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

Salute our troops on Veterans Appreciation Night

May 27, 2014

Freedom isn’t free, and the Toledo Mud Hens are teaming up with Owens Community College to remember the sacrifices made by current and former military and public safety personnel during Veterans Appreciation Night at Fifth Third Field, on Saturday, June 14. That evening a special pregame ceremony will be held to honor our veterans, as well as many tributes to our troops throughout the game.

The Mud Hens will take on the Buffalo Bisons on June 14 at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. For tickets, call 419-725-4367 or order online.

All the info on the Veterans Appreciation Night festivities can be found at www.mudhens.com/veterans.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Toledo Mud Hens. Click here to view the original story.

Squirrels Benefit Troops with Homefront IPA

May 23, 2014

Beer that benefits Troops available tonight at The Diamond

RichmondFlyingSquirrels_2014-05-23 — Proceeds from Friday’s release of Homefront IPA will benefit Operation Homefront.

The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants are excited to announce that once again Homefront IPA, a specialty beer brewed by Center of the Universe Brewery with all proceeds going directly to Operation Homefront, will be released at The Diamond and available for a limited time on Friday night. Center of the Universe Brewery along with 10 other designated breweries across the country brew this IPA for the Memorial Day weekend to benefit Operation Homefront, a non-profit with a nationwide organization that provides emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. The 11 breweries combined donate 100% of proceeds and will raise a minimum of $150,000 for Operation Homefront this year.

“Homefront IPA is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to all of the men and women who dedicate themselves to protecting our safety and our way of life,” said Chris Ray, Co-founder of Center of the Universe and former Major League pitcher. “By releasing this beer so close to Memorial Day at The Diamond, we hope to give a reminder to everyone of how important the past, present, and future members of our armed forces are and to remember the ultimate sacrifices so many have made in their pursuit of our freedom.”

A limited amount of Homefront IPA will be for sale at the top of the main entrance to the right of the stage. It is brewed with West Coast hops, fresh orange zest, and aged on Louisville Slugger Maple bats. The bats will then be auction off with the proceeds also benefiting Operation Homefront.

The Participating Breweries:
Center of the Universe Brewing Company, Ashland, VA
Fremont Brewing Company, Seattle, WA
Sly Fox Brewing Company, Pottstown, PA
Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL
Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis, MO
Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Houston, TX
21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA
Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO
Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA
Palmetto Brewing Company, Charleston, SC
Maui Brewing Co., Lahaina, HI

The Flying Squirrels begin a seven game homestand tonight at 7:05PM with postgame fireworks. Limited tickets are available through the box office and online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Click here to view the original story.

Welcome Home Lieutenant Pelletier

May 23, 2014

Prior to their 5:00p.m. game vs. Jupiter, the Tampa Yankees were honored to welcome home Lieutenant Matthew Pelletier.

Joe Pelletier, the father of Lieutenant Pelletier, thought he was visiting Steinbrenner Field and throwing out the game’s first pitch as a potential Tampa Yankees sponsor with his company, AmeriLife. He had no idea he was about to see his son, who was on the receiving end of the pitch and dressed in a full Tampa Yankees uniform, complete with catcher’s gear.

Lieutenant Pelletier had not seen his father since August 2013, before deploying for the U.S. Army.

The Tampa Yankees are the Single-A Advanced Affiliate of the New York Yankees. For more information about the Tampa Yankees call (813) 673-3055 or visit www.tybaseball.com.

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

Altoona Mirror & AMBUCS Altoona Team Up for Curve, Pa. Heroes Game

May 22, 2014

Proceeds from in-game jersey auction and other fundraising efforts will purchase an Action Trackchair for one local veteran

The Altoona Mirror and AMBUCS Altoona have partnered up with the Altoona Curve to present the Curve, Pa. Heroes Game during the 2014 Eastern League All-Star Stop presented by UPMC Health Plan, the parties announced today. The Curve Pa. Heroes Game presented by the Altoona Mirror & AMBCUS Altoona will kick off the two days’ worth of festivities surrounding the Eastern League’s midsummer classic in Curve, Pa.

The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST), which is made up of young, competitive, athletic veterans and active duty soldiers who have lost limbs post-9/11 while serving their country in the military/war, will be taking on a group of Curve, Pa. Alumni in the Heroes softball game. One member of the WWAST that will be participating in the game will be Josh Wege, who was in the U.S. Marines and served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Wege participated in the 2013 MLB Legends Celebrity Softball Game and was named the game’s MVP.

“The Mirror is thrilled with the opportunity to be involved with such a great event in the all-star game and such a great cause in the Wounded Warrior Project,” said Ray Eckenrode, the Mirror General Manager for Advertising. “To be able to recognize the sacrifices of our service men and women is truly an honor. The POW/MIA Chair is a pet project of our publisher, Ed Kruger, and we’d like to thank the Curve staff for taking Ed’s vision and making it a reality in such a special way.”

Already scheduled to represent the Curve Alumni in the game are Adam Hyzdu, Mike Johnston, Tike Redman, Chris Snusz and Jack Wilson. They’ll be joined by a few additions in former Curve OF Kory DeHaan and LHP Mike Connolly.

DeHaan, who is currently the hitting coach with High-A Bradenton, played for the Curve during their inaugural season in 1999, reached the major leagues in 2000 with San Diego and again in 2002. DeHaan batted .268 with 13 doubles in 47 games for the Curve during the 1999 campaign. He last played professionally in 2003 for the Portland Beavers (Padres’ AAA Affiliate), playing in 54 games.

Connolly played for the Curve from 2003 to 2006 and reached as high as Triple-A both in 2005 and 2006. He was originally a 19th round draft pick in the 2000 draft out of Oneonta (NY) HS. Connolly currently resides in Altoona and is the co-owner/operator of ERA Sports, a baseball and softball academy offering advanced lessons and fielding teams that travel regionally to participate in tournaments.

“It will be great to welcome Kory and Mike back for the Heroes Game,” said Curve General Manager Rob Egan. “Our fans remember Kory for his outstanding second-half with the Curve in our inaugural season and for being just our second-ever player to go on and play in the Major Leagues. ‘Conno’ was a big part of our starting rotation for four years and, in each of those seasons, the Curve made the playoffs. It’s great to see him having success running ERA Sports teaching hundreds of local young players how to play the game.”

AMBUCS Altoona , which is a national non-profit service organization consisting of a diverse group of men and women who are dedicated to creating mobility and independence for people with disabilities, has partnered up for the first day of events to help raise support and funds for the purchase of an Action Trackchair for one veteran here in Blair County. AMBUCS is working with the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center to select the recipient for the Action Trackchair. The Action Trackchair is the ultimate in off-road wheelchairs and will give its user the ability to navigate mountain roads, campgrounds, woods, beaches, hiking trails, frozen lakes, snowy terrain and much more.

All proceeds from the Ghostman Games & Hitting Challenge jerseys that the All-Stars will wear will be donated to the fund to purchase of the Action Trackchair. In addition, fans can purchase their very own Ghostman Games jersey with a portion of the proceeds from the sales going to the purchase of the Trackchair. The Curve will be accepting general donations up until the Eastern League All-Star Stop during game days at the Laurel Eye Clinic Customer Service Booth or non-game days inside the front office at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

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

Curve to Dedicate POW/MIA Chair Following Heroes Game on July 15

May 22, 2014

Team will dedicate one Toyota Diamond Club Seat to remain unoccupied for all future Curve games and events in honor of those American soldiers unaccounted for

The Altoona Curve, in conjunction with the Rolling Thunder (American Legion Riders Post 12) based out of Somerville, N.J. will dedicate a seat from the Toyota Diamond Club to those American soldiers who are unaccounted for with a POW/MIA seat following the Curve, Pa. Heroes Game presented by the Altoona Mirror and AMBUCS on July 15, the team announced today.

The seat, which will be painted black and affixed with the POW/MIA decals, is located in section 112, row 3, seat 3. There will also be a plaque that goes with the seat, which will be installed and located in an area around section 112.

“We are proud to honor those who have served our country,” said Curve General Manager Rob Egan. “The dedication of the POW/MIA seat will serve as a reminder of those who did not come home and remain unaccounted for. All too often, their service and the pain experienced by their families, friends, and fellow service members fails to be mentioned. In this way, we’re hopeful this dedication will help in reminding people and spurring further efforts to bring them home.”

The seat dedication is a part of a series of events surrounding the 2014 E.L. All-Star Stop presented by UPMC Health Plan to honor those that have served our country. A group of Curve, Pa. alumni will be playing the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST) in a softball game for the Curve, Pa. Heroes Game to start the events on the 15^th.

Both the Eastern Division and Western Division All-Stars will don special jerseys for the Ghostman Games & Hitting Challenge that will follow the POW/MIA seat dedication ceremony. All proceeds from an auction of those jerseys will be put toward the purchase of an Action Trackchair for one local veteran that will be selected by AMBUCS in conjunction with the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center.

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

Bats host Military Appreciation Day during eight-game homestand

May 21, 2014

The Louisville Bats begin an eight-game homestand Thursday, May 22 at Louisville Slugger Field that will feature two fireworks shows, a patriotic hat giveaway and Military Appreciation Day.

The patriotic cap giveaway on Saturday, May 24 will be the second of the Bats’ four regular-season cap giveaways. The caps will be given to the first 2,000 fans through the gates. The Bats will face the Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, for four games from Thursday, May 22 through Sunday, May 25.

Military Appreciation Day will be on Monday, May 26. All retired and current military personnel and their families will receive free field reserved tickets with proper military identification. Monday will feature the first of four games against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Fireworks during this homestand will be on Friday, May 23 and Memorial Day Eve on Sunday, May 25.

The Bats depart for Columbus on Friday, May 30 for the first two games of a split four-game series with the Columbus Clippers, Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team returns to Louisville for two more games with Columbus on Sunday, June 1 and Monday, June 2. Sunday, June 1 will be 50-Cent Hot Dog Night at Louisville Slugger Field.

Louisville finished a 6-2 road trip through Norfolk and Durham on Tuesday and comes home sitting in third place in the IL West at 22-23, just 4.0 games back of first-place Indianapolis. The trip was the team’s first six-win road trip since July 2010. Outfielder Felix Pérez is hitting .296 in May and leads the International League in RBI and extra-base hits in the month, including four home runs on the road trip.

The Bats have averaged 8,979 fans per game at Louisville Slugger Field since its opening in 2000 and have totaled over 8.8 million fans through 14 seasons. Tickets for all regular season games are available. The entire 2014 Bats schedule, including updated promotions and special events, can be found at batsbaseball.com. Single-game tickets may be purchased online, by calling 1-855-228-8497 or by visiting the Louisville Slugger Field box office. Full and partial season tickets along with group outings and suite rentals are available by calling the Bats front office at 502-212-2287.

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

Bees to Honor U.S. Military Personnel on Saturday, May 24

May 21, 2014

The Salt Lake Bees will honor men and women of the United States Armed Forces during Military Appreciation Night on Saturday, May 24 as the Bees take on the Fresno Grizzlies at 6:35 p.m. The evening will feature ticket specials and military-themed entertainment.

The Bees are offering all military personnel with proper identification a free reserved ticket to the game. Military personnel can also purchase half-priced tickets for their families. These tickets can be purchased by calling 801-325-BEES (2337) or at the Smith’s Ballpark box office.

Colonel Ryan Britton with the US Air Force will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, the 807^th Medical Command out of Fort Douglas, Utah will lead the presentation of the colors and the Hill Air Force Base 419^th Anthem Choir will perform the national anthem and sing “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch. A special military-themed fireworks show presented by Big O Tires will begin at the conclusion of the game.

Bees tickets are available online with no additional feels at slbees.com, by calling 801-325-BEES (2337), at the Smith’s Ballpark box office from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. or at all Smith’sTix outlets and Smith’s Food & Drug Stores.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Salt Lake Bees. Click here to view the original story.

Free admission to active military and veterans on Friday

May 20, 2014

In celebration of Memorial Day weekend, the St. Lucie Mets would like to pay tribute to the service men and women of our country by offering all current military personnel and veterans free admission into Friday’s game.

The Mets host the Clearwater Threshers at 6:30 p.m. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Veterans and active military just need to show proof of ID at the Tradition Field box office to get into the game free of charge.

Prior to first pitch there will be a color guard, the performing of the National Anthem and ceremonial first pitches delivered by members of the American Gold Star Mothers. The American Gold Star Mothers are an organization of mothers who have lost a son or daughter in the service of our country.

For more information, visit www.stluciemets.com or call 772-871-2115.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the St. Lucie Mets. Click here to view the original story.

Home Runs, Strikeouts Benefit Local Charities

May 15, 2014

BlueClaws partners OceanFirst Bank, Stop & Shop donate to local organizations through two initiatives

The BlueClaws have partnered with OceanFirst Foundation and Stop & Shop to raise money for local organizations when a BlueClaws batter hits a home run or when a BlueClaws pitcher strikes out an opposing hitter at FirstEnergy Park this summer.

OceanFirst Foundation’s Home Runs for Heroes
The BlueClaws and OceanFirst Foundation have again partnered on Home Runs for Heroes, a program that raises money for local military-based non-profit organizations. Each inning of the game is tied in with a local military-based organization. Each time the BlueClaws hit a home run in Lakewood, OceanFirst Foundation makes a donation of $1,000 to that organization. For a rundown of charities, please click here.

The program is now in its sixth season and has raised over $120,000 so far. For more on OceanFirst Foundation, click here.

Stop & Shop’s Strike Out Hunger
The BlueClaws and Stop & Shop have again partnered on the Strike Out Hunger campaign, through which Stop & Shop makes a donation to the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties for every BlueClaws strikeout by a pitcher in Lakewood this year. Last year, the program raised over $10,000 for the Food Bank, which supports over 260 pantries and soup kitchens at the Jersey Shore.

Further, this year, as part of their 100th anniversary celebration, Stop & Shop will give out a $100 gift card to one lucky fan each time the BlueClaws reach a 100-strikeout milestone this year (100th, 200th, etc strikeout of the year).

For a program rundown, click here.

The BlueClaws are the Jersey Shore’s top stop for affordable, family entertainment. They have led the South Atlantic League and New Jersey in attendance in all 13 years of existence. For tickets to any BlueClaws home game, call 732-901-7000 option 2 or click here.

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

Rome Native Commissioned on Education Day May 13

May 13, 2014

The Rome Braves would like to invite fans to join us for the May 13 Education Day game as a local resident is commissioned as a Marine Second Lieutenant.

John Michael Howard is a native to Rome, GA and is the son of David Carlton Howard and Sylvia Ann Howard. Michael is a 2014 graduate of Berry College with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Economics. Upon graduation, Michael will be commissioned as a Marine Second Lieutenant through the United States Marine Corps Platoon Leader’s Class. Second Lieutenant Howard’s next assignment will be The Basic School in Quantico, VA.

The Rome Braves take on the Asheville Tourists on May 13^th at 10:30am.

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

RiverDogs and Palmetto Brewing Join for “Hops for Heroes”, Will Serve Homefront IPA at Riley Park

May 13, 2014

Special Craft Beer Was Aged in Louisville Slugger Bats; Proceeds Benefit Operation Homefront

There aren’t many things more American than baseball, cold beer, and our Military. That trio will come together in a big way this year as the Charleston RiverDogs and Palmetto Brewery have partnered to help raise funds for military themed charity Operation Homefront.

The Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees will be the first venue in Charleston to sell Homefront IPA, and all proceeds benefit Operation Homefront. The RiverDogs will sell this special beer with the slogan “Hops for Heroes” during their home game against the Asheville Tourists on Thursday, May 29 to coincide with Military Appreciation Night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

Homefront IPA was developed in 2011 by Fremont Brewing Company of Seattle, Wash., and Center of the Universe Brewing Company of Ashland, Va., in order to raise money and awareness for Operation Homefront.

Aged on Louisville Slugger maple bats, this specially-made craft beer does more than just quench one’s thirst as it improves the lives of our soldiers. Homefront IPA is a unique charity beer in that 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to Operation Homefront. One of the solid Maple Bats will be auctioned off during the game to raise money as well.

“We feel certain that our fans that enjoy a craft beer will certainly enjoy Homefront IPA while assisting our military troops and their families,” said RiverDogs General Manager Dave Echols. “We’re proud to have first rights and to be the only site in the state of South Carolina to get this beer.”

“Palmetto Brewing Company is honored to support this very worthy cause with the Charleston RiverDogs,” said Ed Falkenstein, Founder, Palmetto Brewing Company. “We recognize the service of our men and women in the Armed Forces and respect the sacrifice they and their families make every day. Donating 100 percent of our proceeds to this project is a small acknowledgment. Enjoy a Homefront IPA at the ballpark with food and friends.”

Palmetto Brewing, located in downtown Charleston, is one of only two Southeastern distributors (Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Fla. is the other) that dispense Homefront IPA. Other providers include Center of the Universe Brewing Company of Ashland, Va.; Fremont Brewing Company of Seattle, Wash.; Sly Fox of Pottstown, Pa.; Perennial Artisan Ales of St. Louis, Mo.; Saint Arnold Brewing Company of Houston; Left Hand Brewing Company of Longmont, Co.; Stone Brewing Company of Escondido, Calif.; and Maui Brewing Company of Lahaina, Hi.

Operation Homefront is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance for American military troops, the families they leave behind, and wounded servicemen when they return home. The organization raises funds to provide emergency, financial, and morale assistance to families while troops are participating in a tour of duty. Since its creation in 2002 Operation Homefront has met over 741,000 needs of military families and military personnel returning from duty.

Operation Homefront was developed to support the families of deployed service members immediately following 9/11. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, the organization currently provides services to military families across the nation with 23 locations serving 43 states. The national office handles cases in states that do not have their own local offices. The majority of its clients are the lowest-paid service members, the E-1 through E-6 enlisted ranks.

The RiverDogs are currently home through Friday evening hosting the Savannah Sand Gnats tonight and the Hickory Crawdads for three games beginning Wednesday night. Tickets are on sale for the remainder of the RiverDogs 2014 season. For more information, please contact the Riley Park Box Office at 843/577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com. If fans cannot make it to the ballpark, they are encouraged to tune in to all the action this year both home and away worldwide on www.riverdogs.com and locally on 1250 WTMA, the RiverDogs’ new radio home.

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