Squirrels to Host ASK Fun Walk & 5K

Event Will Take Place at The Diamond on Saturday, April 26th

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Richmond, Va. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels held a press conference on Thursday to announce a partnership with the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation that will include the Squirrels hosting the 2014 ASK Fun Walk & 5K presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield at The Diamond. The Fun Walk & 5K will take place on the morning of Saturday, April 26th, and will precede the Squirrels’ game against the New Britain Rock Cats that evening.

The Fun Walk & 5K, which is the signature event on ASK’s fundraising calendar, will include a course that takes runners and walkers around the historic area and end at home plate at The Diamond. The 2013 ASK Walk & 5K attracted 2,500 participants from throughout the Greater Richmond area and raised over $150,000 to help local children with cancer and their families.

“We are continually looking for ways to do more within this community, and this was a huge opportunity to do just that,” said Flying Squirrels’ Vice President & COO Todd “Parney” Parnell. “Any time you have the chance to work with passionate people to benefit a tremendous cause, you jump at it. That’s what we have done here, and we can’t wait for April 26th.”

The event will begin with check-in and same-day registration at 7 a.m. The 5K Run & Family Fun Walk will begin at 9 a.m. To register in advance of the event or for more information, visit ASKWalk.org.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Flying Squirrels on this year’s ASK Fun Walk & 5k presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield,” said ASK Executive Director Amy Godkin. “With their help, we hope to raise over $150,000 to help local children with cancer and their families.”

Since 2006, the Fun Walk & 5K has raised more than $890,000, with the goal of reaching the one-million-dollar mark at this year’s event.

The Flying Squirrels also used Thursday’s press conference as an opportunity to highlight additional upcoming community objectives. As the team prepares for its 5th Season Celebration in 2014 and the launch of the newly-minted Flying Squirrels Charities, they also pointed to numerous successes among their many community programs and events from the past.

“As we prepare for what we know will be a historic fifth season in Richmond, we spent some time reflecting back on all the wonderful opportunities we have had to impact this community,” added Parnell. “As we add another tremendous event and partner today, we thought it appropriate to recognize the countless people and organizations that have made our overwhelming success in the past possible.”

Additionally, the Squirrels announced plans to unveil the most comprehensive promotional schedule in their franchise history. The schedule will be announced in a series that will begin on Monday with the release of 2014 fireworks dates.

ASK is a local organization dedicated to making life better for children with cancer and their families. ASK provides direct support to young cancer patients and their families today, when they need it most. For more information on ASK, go to ASKWalk.org. For questions regarding the ASK Fun Walk & 5k, please contact Lexi Aman, ASK Development Director, at LAman@ASKCCF.org or (804) 402-2222.

Season ticket and mini-plan packages are currently available for the 5th Season of Flying Squirrels baseball. For more information or to purchase ticket packages, please visit either squirrelsbaseball.com or the Squirrels’ ticket office at The Diamond, or call (804) 359-FUNN (3866).

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

Squirrels To Help Support Oklahoma Tornado Relief Effort

Be A Superhero For Oklahoma On Super Hero Day

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RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, are asking their fans to step forward and help the Oklahoma Tornado Relief Efforts on Sunday, June 2nd at The Diamond. The Squirrels will have a Better Box mobile storage unit in front of the main gate for items to be donated and shipped to a relief distribution center in Oklahoma. The items needed are specific and are listed below. The storage unit is scheduled to be ready outside of the main gate beginning at 11:00AM and will remain there throughout the Squirrels game vs. the Erie SeaWolves. Gates for the game open at 12:30PM with first pitch scheduled for 2:05PM. Fans who donate items to the effort will receive a raffle ticket to win one of several prizes. Winners will be drawn during the game.

“We want to do all we can to help out not only our community but people in general,” said Flying Squirrels Vice President and COO Todd “Parney” Parnell. “We are delighted to help in this endeavor as we can only begin to see from the pictures the magnitude of the devastation. We encourage Squirrels fans from all over the region to help us help Oklahoma.”

Items Needed; canned food, Band-Aids, Q-Tips, thermometers, dental floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste, sports drinks and bottled water, baby blankets, shoes of all sizes, medical ointments and creams, feminine hygiene products, razors, travel hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes, empty plastic containers, snack size chips, underwear and socks, Ziploc bags, senior supplies (hearing aid batteries, denture cream Depends), glasses (reading and prescription), shampoo and soap, work gloves, and tarps.

The items will be shipped to Journey Church in Norman, Oklahoma. The church has been set up as a shelter, distribution and relief center. Hopewell Baptist Church in New Kent is helping coordinate the efforts.

Sunday, June 2nd is also Superhero Day at The Diamond presented by Health Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc. The first 2,500 fans ages 14 and under will receive a free comic book, and all fans are encouraged to dress as their favorite superheroes. Fans are also encouraged to be a hero for someone in need by donating any and all items listed above. Additionally, Sunday is a Kroger Squirrels Tails Sunday and members receive free entry and also eat for free. Details are available at www.squirrelsbaseball.com/kidsclub

Limited tickets for the upcoming homestand are available by contacting the box office at (804) 359-FUNN (3866) or on-line at SquirrelsBaseball.com. Single-game tickets and Mini-Plan packages are currently available and can be purchased by calling the Flying Squirrels at (804) 359-FUNN (3866), logging on to SquirrelsBaseball.com or visiting the Squirrels Ticket Office at The Diamond.

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

Flying Squirrels To Hold First Charity Golf Tournament

Celebrity Tournament at the Dominion Club on June 17th to Benefit the Miracle League of Richmond

First Charity Golf Tournament hosted by the Dominion Club.
First Charity Golf Tournament hosted by the Dominion Club.

RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Flying Squirrels will partner with Victory Golf Events to hold their first charity golf tournament, the Flying Squirrels Charity Golf Open on Monday, June 17th at the Dominion Club. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Miracle League of Richmond. The tournament will be played with teams of four competing in a scramble format along with a celebrity teammate. Celebrity teammates will include Flying Squirrels players, coaches and staff members as well additional celebrities from the sports and media community in Richmond.

“Hosting a golf tournament is something we have wanted to do since we arrived in Richmond,” said Flying Squirrels’ Vice President & COO Todd “Parney” Parnell. “We always have a lot of guys on the team who love to play, and it is a great way to get many of our other friends in the community involved to aid the effort of the outstanding folks at the Miracle League of Richmond. I just hope I don’t hack it up too badly out there for the Dominion Club’s sake.”

The field will be limited to 25 teams, and those interested in participating are encouraged to register as quickly as possible to ensure availability. To register a team, please CLICK HERE!

WHO: Richmond Flying Squirrels
WHAT: Flying Squirrels Charity Golf Open benefitting the Miracle League of Richmond
WHERE: The Dominion Club – 6000 Dominion Club Dr., Glen Allen, VA 23059
WHEN: Monday, June 17th – Shotgun start at 12 p.m. (Registration opens at 10:30 a.m.)
FORMAT: 4-Person Teams + 1 Celebrity from the Flying Squirrels competing as 5-man teams (Captain’s Choice – Scramble Format)
PRICE: $150.00 a player/$600.00 per team
INCLUDES: 18 Holes of Golf with a Cart, Unlimited Range Balls, Dinner after the Round, Drinks (Beer, Soda, Water & Gatorade)
PRIZES: Contest and Proxy Prizes from Nike Golf
GIFTS: Tee Gifts from Nike Golf

To sign up a team for the Flying Squirrels Charity Golf Open CLICK HERE!

Hole sponsorship is also available for the Flying Squirrels Charity Golf Open. Hole sponsorship includes; sponsorship of one hole during event, one foursome entry into the event, four dozen golf balls at the event and special recognition at the event. All included for just $1000. Sponsorships are limited and must be confirmed by June 1st to allow for handling time on sponsorship materials. With questions regarding sponsorship, please contact event coordinator Josh McKim from Victory Golf Events at (804) 335-5527 or joshmckim@pga.com

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

Squirrels Team Up With Hops For Heroes

Homefront IPA to be Served at The Diamond on May 23rd to Benefit Operation Homefront

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RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Flying Squirrels will partner with Hops for Heroes to serve Homefront IPA at The Diamond during their game against the Trenton Thunder on Thursday, May 23rd. Homefront IPA will be available at the Squirrels’ Virginia Beer Taste the Local stand with all proceeds benefitting Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront is a non-profit organization that assists the families of military personnel when they fall on hard times.

Additionally, the team will hold a special media tasting of Homefront IPA at The Diamond on Wednesday, May 22nd, at 2 p.m. All media members are invited to attend/cover the tasting.

The goal of Hops for Heroes is to raise money and awareness for Operation Homefront through the sale of Homefront IPA and its relationship with the craft brewing and professional baseball industries.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Hops for Heroes to aid Operation Homefront,” said Flying Squirrels Vice President & COO Todd “Parney” Parnell. “We are constantly striving to honor and assist our military personnel, and to be able to do in such a creative and baseball-oriented way is extremely exciting for us.”

Hops for Heroes is a charitable effort started in 2011 in Seattle, Washington with Fremont Brewing Company and Chris and Phil Ray of Center of the Universe Brewing Company (COTU). Homefront IPA is a beer that was created by both breweries and brewed at Fremont in order to raise money for Operation Homefront. The beer was aged on unfinished Louisville Slugger maples bats and sold in both bottles and kegs throughout the Seattle area. 100% of the proceeds were given to the Washington Chapter of Operation Homefront. Once the bats were dried out, they were auctioned off with 100% of the proceeds going to Operation Homefront. For more information about Hops for Hereos, please visit http://www.hopsforheroes.com

“From its beginning in 2011, Homefront IPA has been all about beer, baseball, and most importantly, America’s Troops,” said Chris Ray of Center of the Universe Brewery Company. ” It debuted at Safeco Field in 2011, so it was only appropriate to continue that tradition with the Flying Squirrels in 2013. We believe the Flying Squirrels share the same belief in charity and community as we do, making it a perfect partnership.”

Operation Homefront is a non-profit organization that assists the families of military personnel when they fall on hard times. From car payments to medical bills, Operation Homefront provides financial assistance for all types of family emergencies. For more information, please visit www.operationhomefront.com.

In 2012, Hops for Heroes expanded to include six total breweries from all over the country. Each brewery has been paired with their local Operation Homefront chapter. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the beer will go directly to the local chapters. In addition to the breweries, sponsors have volunteered to donate some of the hops and grains to lower the cost of producing the beer and thus increasing the donation to Operation Homefront. Hops for Heroes has professional baseball player ambassadors for each of the breweries associated with the project. This allows for an increase in awareness of the effort and the charity. Louisville Slugger has also donated six laser-inscribed bats for each brewery.

The media tasting on the 22nd will also include media availability from Flying Squirrels’ personnel, Chris Ray and members of the United States Military based at Fort Lee, located in Petersburg, VA.

Tickets are currently available for the Squirrels game on May 23rd, as well as to all remaining 2013 home games. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit SquirrelsBaseball.com, call (804) 359-FUNN (3866) or stop by the Flying Squirrels Ticket Office at The Diamond.

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

Squirrels Double Efforts for Toys for Tots

Team Collects Nearly 17 Bins of Toys at 2nd Annual Holiday Party

Parney the Elf, Santa Claus, the United States Marine Corps and the Richmond Flying Squirrels collected nearly 17 bins full of new, unwrapped toys during the 2nd Annual Holiday Party at The Diamond on Saturday. Many gracious fans braved the elements as the team collected more than double the amount of toys (eight bins) that the Inaugural Holiday Party netted in 2009.

“We have a phenomenal base of fans and community supporters,” said Parney the Elf. “We are continually amazed at their generosity and are grateful that we are able to stage events like this that allow them to participate and get involved in a fun way.”

During the event, party-goers visited Santa Claus and had their pictures taken by Real Life Studios, enjoyed Christmas crafts, warmed up with hot chocolate and Christmas cookies and enjoyed a baseball-themed raffle.

Flying Squirrels fans filled nearly 17 bins to aid Toys for Tots. (Photo courtesy of the Richmond Flying Squirrels)

Students Score Big with ‘Score an A’ Program

The Richmond Flying Squirrels‘ Score an “A” Free Ticket Program presented by Union First Market Bank was a huge success in its inaugural year, and the program will be available once again during the Flying Squirrels’ 2011 season.

The value of tickets redeemed during the 2010 season was over $18,000.

“The Flying Squirrels are always striving to make an impact in the Richmond community in a positive manner, with the school systems being one of our main focuses,” said Flying Squirrels Vice President & COO Todd “Parney” Parnell. “The ticket program is a way for us to reward those students who push themselves to excel in academics.”

Every “A” on a student’s current K-12 report card during the third and fourth marking periods earned them a FREE General Admission ticket to a Richmond Flying Squirrels home game. Each “A” was good for one ticket per game–for example, if a student earned 8 A’s they would receive 8 General Admission tickets to 8 different games.

“The ‘Score an ‘A’ Free Ticket Program’ is a fun way to reward hard work and achievement or to provide that little extra incentive to push for a higher grade,” said Harry A. Turton, Jr., Richmond President of Union First Market Bank. “Union First Market Bank is headquartered in Richmond and is the largest community bank serving the Richmond-area. We are a proud sponsor of the program and hope the students will enjoy watching the Flying Squirrels as much as our teammates enjoy watching them play.”

Students cashed in on nearly $18,000 worth of tickets in 2010.

Squirrels Salute the Troops!

On Saturday, June 19, the Flying Squirrels partnered with Budweiser to honor the troops for Military Appreciation Night. Hundreds of soldiers and military personnel enjoyed a game at The Diamond.

Support US Armed forces collected donations by offering acorn cut outs to fans to show their support of the troops and raised over $1200 dollars that was used to make care packages for the troops overseas!

The Squirrels also held a “Camo Jersey off the Back” Auction raising over $1,390 with all proceeds benefiting the Robert E. Lee Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) that supports soldiers at Fort Lee and throughout central VA.

Fans were entertained by WWE Hall of Fame Wrestler Sergeant Slaughter and were given a camouflage baseball cap as they entered the gates, courtesy of Budweiser.

SGT. Slaughter leading the crowd in Take me out to the Ballgame!

Students “Go Nuts for Reading!”

In the Flying Squirrels Inaugural Season, we also launched our inaugural reading program, “Go Nuts for Reading!”. Elementary school students throughout the Greater Richmond Area participated by reading eight books over two months to earn a ticket to a Flying Squirrels game this past spring. While at the game, students were recognized by participating in a pre-game parade around the warning track led by Nutzy!

To encourage the children to read, Nutzy and his friends went out to the schools and put on assemblies talking to the students about the benefits of reading, our reading program and Nutzy even acted out “Casey at the Bat”! The classroom that read the most books total from each school district was rewarded with a pizza party and visited by a Flying Squirrels player and Nutzy!

In our first year, over 32,100 students participated within nine school districts!

Nutzy and kids after on-field parade to celebrate reading program
Nutzy at a reading assembly acting out “Casey at the Bat.”

CPR “Certified” Fun at The Diamond!

On Saturday, May 29, the Richmond Flying Squirrels teamed up with the Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross for CPR Grand Slam!  Residents in the Greater Richmond area took an online class and then finished their CPR certification training in the outfield at The Diamond! Participants were greeted by Nutzy as they checked in, then taken down on to the field to finish training.  Once the course was completed, the newly certified patrons earned a ticket to that night’s Squirrels game and were recognized for attending the life saving training! The youngest participant certified was 13 years old–he tossed out the ceremonial first pitch!

Red Cross CPR training on the outfield
Nutzy and our first pitch winner after completing CPR training at only 13!

Tribute to the Peanut Night Supports Central Virginia Food Bank

On Tuesday, May 18, the Richmond Flying Squirrels teamed up with the VA Peanut Growers to raise awareness about peanuts and the need for peanut butter for the Central Virginia Food Bank. People that brought a jar of peanut butter to the game to donate to the Central Virginia Food Bank were entered into a drawing to win an authentic Flying Squirrels practice jersey. Along with raising awareness about a great organization that is in constant need of support, we had a lot of fun as well as we were not only joined by two peanut mascots (one from the Virginia Peanut Festival & one from VA Diner) but also Peanuts characters Charlie Brown, Lucy and Snoopy! Samples of peanuts were distributed to our fans as fun was had by all in a tribute to one of Virginia’s most well known foods, the peanut!

Two happy Squirrels fans donating for a great cause!
Peanut Mascots helping with an on-field contest-Peanut Ring Toss!