Help our MiLB CommUNITY

 

The Eugene Emeralds are proud to be a part of the MiLB CommUNITY First Initiative for the month of May. This national initiative was developed in conjunction with Feeding America, to raise funds for local food banks and to honor individuals risking their lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emeralds fans are encouraged to visit the CommUNITY First website through May 31st to help MiLB, and the participating teams, raise money for local food banks. Once on the site, fans can choose their donation amount and the Emeralds as the recipient of their donation to direct funds to the Oregon Food Bank and FOOD for Lane County. By selected the Emeralds for the donation, you will ensure that the money will go to support local food banks. If a team is not selected, funds will go to the Feeding America COVID-19 Response Fund which is providing food assistance and supplies to communities most affected by the pandemic.

Ten dollars provides access to 30 meals to families and individuals in need. With school closures and rising unemployment since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, FOOD for Lane County has seen a noticeable increase in the number of people seeking help with food for the first time. With the suspension of food rescue and food drives, the food supply for FOOD for Lane County has been drastically disrupted. The donations will go towards purchasing local food so they can offer a variety of food choices to the community.

Since April, the Emeralds front office has been volunteering with FOOD for Lane County once a week, stocking and creating produce bags for one of the four emergency mobile pantries the nonprofit has set up. By supporting the CommUNITY First Initiative, the Emeralds hope to help families and individuals across the country most impacted by the pandemic by making sure they are fed and cared for during these uncertain times.

In addition, for every $10 donation, the Emeralds will donate one ticket to a home game for either the 2020 or 2021 season to a local hero of the pandemic. Fans are invited to join the national campaign by donating and selecting the Eugene Emeralds at MiLB.com/CommUNITYFirst and use #MiLBCommUNITYFirst on social media to show your support.

Four Winds Field to Host South Bend Community School Corporation Graduations July 24 & 25 

 

SOUTH BEND, IN – The South Bend Cubs and Four Winds Field are proud to partner with the South Bend Community School Corporation to host their 2020 Graduation Ceremonies. The five area high schools will hold their ceremonies over two days, July 24 and 25 with a rain date of July 26.

“The generosity of the South Bend Cubs and Four Winds Field management has been essential in allowing us to safely honor our graduates in person,” said Superintendent Dr. C. Todd Cummings. “Our community partnership with the South Bend Cubs, the guidance of Dr. Mark Fox with the St. Joseph County Health Department, and the input of our graduating seniors have all made it possible for us to grant Class of 2020 the meaningful experience they deserve.”

“We know how important these ceremonies are, not just to the graduates, but to the families as well,” said South Bend Cubs Team President Joe Hart. “We’re proud to partner with Dr. Cummings and his staff to provide a safe place for the seniors to be recognized.”

In accordance with CDC guidelines and the Saint Joseph County Health Department, all participants including graduates, Corporation staff, School Board members, and invited guests will be required to wear masks and use hand sanitizer upon entering the stadium. Masks will be provided and must be worn when entering and exiting the venue.

Tickets will be distributed by each school based on the size of each graduating class (two or four tickets maximum). A letter will be sent to all graduates and guests outlining health and social distancing guidelines.

For those unable to attend, the South Bend Cubs will stream the ceremonies live through their social media channels.

Graduation Schedule:

• Dress rehearsals – Thursday, July 23, 2020 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

• John Adams High School – Friday, July 24, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 5:45 p.m.)

• Washington High School – Saturday, July 25, 2020 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.)

• Clay High School – Saturday, July 25, 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m. (doors open at 11:30)

• RISE UP Academy – Saturday, July 25, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (doors open at 2:00 p.m.)

• Riley High School – Saturday, July 25, 5:00 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.)

Additional details are available on the South Bend Community School Corporation website.

About the South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs are the Class A minor league affiliate of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Over the past 32 seasons, the team has won four Midwest League titles, most recently in 2019, and has captured eight division titles. In 2019, the South Bend Cubs hosted the Midwest League All-Star Game. In June 2017, Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, was voted Best Class A ballpark in the country by Ballpark Digest. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest’s Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President’s Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose principal shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.

Generals Open Gates For Local Graduation Ceremonies 

 

As the public health risk escalated through March and April, thousands of Tennessee seniors nearing the finish line of their high school journey were left in limbo. After four laborious years, the chances of a traditional graduation were slim, and school officials were left seeking alternatives.

“We started tossing ideas around to see what other places were doing, like virtual, and things of that nature,” said JMCSS Superintendent Ray Washington. “Then my wife and I were talking, and she said, ‘what about Generals park? You should have plenty of room to space out,’ and I said, ‘Ya, I’ll float that passed the mayor.’”

“The Mayor and the Health Department said ‘yes,’ and we started formulating the plans about two weeks ago.”

The plans consisted of limiting tickets to six per student, placing spectators in alternating rows, and limiting the 6,500-seat stadium to roughly 20% capacity. Many wore masks, student chairs would be spaced out six-feet apart across the Ballpark’s infield, and staff members would maintain distance while handing out diplomas. Madison Academic Magnet High School Principal Chad Guthrie was mapping the ceremony with fellow staffers 24 hours before Pomp and Circumstance echoed through the stadium speakers.

“I’m usually shaking their hands and we are pretty much shoulder-to-shoulder for the photo,” said Guthrie. “When we have it in our auditorium at Madison they are probably about a foot or two apart, and here they are going to be six feet apart, all the way around. So that is different. It doesn’t have the feeling of closeness, but they all know that we care about them and that we are going to give them something for graduation this year.”

Walking down the third base line to home plate and receiving honors offers quite a unique landscape to that of a school auditorium, but it’s a scene that many students won’t soon forget.

“This will be an event that these kids will have that other generations of Madison academic students won’t have,” said Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris. “The School system has done and excellent job in trying to get everything arranged, and we appreciate the Generals allowing us to use this stadium out here. It’s going to be a great event.”

Liberty Tech Magnet High School Principal Brad Barnett stood near the railing of the home dugout prior to his school’s ceremony. A former college baseball player himself, Barnett chuckled and shook his head when asked if he pictured graduating students on a professional baseball diamond.

“I didn’t even know if we would be able to have any kind of a ceremony,” Barnett acknowledged. “I didn’t dream about this, but I’m really happy to have it and we’re really thankful to be here tonight. [The students] wanted to have something as close to what a traditional graduation ceremony is, that every other kid has had for the last 50 or 75 years. This is a real once-in-a-century kind of deal.”

The Ballpark of Jackson hosted Madison and Liberty graduations on Thursday night, and was also scheduled to host Jackson Central-Merry Early College High and North Side High School on Friday. Due to impending rain, those graduation events were moved indoors to Oman Arena.

Nominate your Hometown Hero today

 

Together we’ll get through this. At a time when many are still out on the job keeping our nation going during this crisis, the Toledo Walleye and Toledo Mud Hens want to recognize those going above and beyond through the ‘Hometown Heroes’ campaign sponsored by Marathon Petroleum, Cousino Restoration and the Blade Newsslide.

So many are doing so much. Healthcare workers caring for the sick. Police officers and firefighters keeping our communities safe. Grocery store employees keeping our shelves stocked. Truck drivers delivering our much-needed goods. Utility workers keeping our lights on and water flowing. People volunteering to help those in need.

We want to hear about your hero. Submit your nomination and we’ll highlight selected Hometown Heroes on our social media pages.

Thanks to everyone who’s helping to keep Toledo strong!

To nominate your hero, click here.

The Idaho Falls Chukars have donated 1,100 pounds of food and nearly $2,000 to the Community Food Basket.

 

IDAHO FALLS — The future of Chukars baseball is still up in the air, but one thing is certain — giving back to the community is one of their top priorities.

The Idaho Falls Chukars have donated 1,100 pounds of food and nearly $2,000 to the Community Food Basket over the past few weeks through a raffle and food drive.

“We have put a lot of effort into supporting the community that chooses to support us every summer,” Kevin Greene, team president and general manager, said in a news release. “We will continue to find ways to support those around us during these difficult and unprecedented times.”

On Tuesday, Elmore Sports Group, owners of the Chukars, donated $3,297 to benefit local communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including almost $500 to the Community Food Basket in Idaho Falls.

The seven minor league baseball teams within the Elmore Sports Group, the Chukars, Amarillo Sod Poodles, San Antonio Missions, Rocky Mountain Vibes, Inland Empire 66ers, Eugene Emeralds and Lynchburg Hillcats, each donated a bobblehead, team cap and a player-signed item, which were raffled to fans across the country. Fans purchased raffle tickets for $2 and the money was split between each city’s local food bank.

Other donations were brought in during the Chukars food drive they held three weeks ago in their parking lot at Melaleuca Field. During the food drive — where safety precautions were taken — they held their own raffle and gave away a Chukars jersey.

Chukars spokesman Chris Hall said The United Steelworkers played a huge role in the food drive by donating $1,000.

United Steelworkers presenting a check to the Community Food Basket. | Courtesy Idaho Falls Chukars

“We realized that everything we do here requires the community to support us, and it seemed selfish to not, in turn, do something for the community when people are going through hard times,” Hall told EastIdahoNews.com.

If organizations from around the community want to approach the Chukars with ideas of how they can continue to use their platform to help the community, call Hall at (208) 522-8363.

RailRiders hosting Family to Family emergency food drive-thru May 27

 

MOOSIC, PA (May 21, 2020) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders will serve as the hosts for the Family to Family Emergency Drive-Thru Food Giveaway on May 27. The event is run by the Friends of the Poor in response to the global health pandemic and will take place in the parking lot at PNC Field from 2:30 to 5:30 PM Wednesday.

The Family to Family Food Basket Program and the Friends of the Poor have partnered with the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank for COVID-19 emergency food drive-thrus since late March. These drive-thrus have taken place each Wednesday in different locations around the Scranton area. The emergency drive-thru on May 27 at PNC Field, however, will be the first one located between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre and expectations are for over 1,000 vehicles to attend.

All attendees must remain in their vehicles for the safety and well-being of all guests and volunteers. Food bags will be placed directly into each vehicle.

This event is open to the public. Attendees will be asked what their zip code is as well as how many adults, children and elderly live in each household.

For more information, find the Friends of the Poor on Facebook.

Sale of Camo T-Shirts to benefit VA’s ‘Homeless Veterans Program’

 

The Buffalo Bisons have partnered with the VA Western New York Heathcare System to help some of our brave servicemen and women who need it the most.

The team is selling all new Men’s and Women’s Camo T-Shirts with 100% of the net proceeds to be donated back to the VA’s “Homeless Veterans Program.”

VA’s specialized programs for homeless Veterans serve hundreds of thousands of homeless and at-risk Veterans each year. Independently and in collaboration with federal and community partners, VA programs provide Veterans with housing solutions, employment opportunities, health care, justice- and reentry-related services and more.

>>>CLICK HERE to order your Bisons’ Camo T-shirt

The Women’s Camo Tee comes in black and features the Bisons’ alternate ‘standing buffalo’ logo. Sizes from small to x-large are available for $28.00 each. CLICK HERE TO BUY

The Men’s Camo Tee was made in military green and sports the Bisons primary team logo. Sizes from medium to xx-large are available for $28.00 each. CLICK HERE TO BUY

For more information on the VA’s Homeless Veterans Program and its other vital services, please visit buffalo.va.gov..

Buffalo Bisons Charitable Foundation donates $20,000 to City of Buffalo’s COVID-19 initiatives

 

Donation provides meals to City’s Public Works employees, supports Evergreen Food Pantry and sponsors reading program.

Mayor Byron W. Brown today thanked the City of Buffalo’s hometown baseball team, the Buffalo Bisons, for donating $20,000 to assist the community during the COVID-19 emergency.

The donation will provide funding to Evergreen Health for its food pantry and support a new COVID-19 testing site in one of the most impacted areas of Erie County, 14215. Part of the funding will also support Mayor Brown’s 19th annual innovative childhood literacy initiative, Reading Rules! Summer Reading Challenge, which incentivizes children to continue to read during the summer months to keep them engaged in learning. The funding will also provide lunch to more than 700 essential Department of Public Works employees this week and next as a token of appreciation for their constant efforts to maintain the safe delivery of quality services to City residents and businesses during the pandemic.

Mayor Brown stated, “This is the most generous donation the City has received during the COVID-19 outbreak. I thank the Buffalo Bisons Charitable Foundation for investing in the health of their fans and community, for supporting the children who come to cheer them on, and for its demonstration of gratitude to the City workers on the frontlines who continue to put the needs of Buffalo residents and businesses before their own. We have been rooting for the Buffalo Bisons for years and I am so proud that they are also cheering for our success as we rise together again as one City.”

“The Bisons organization has always enjoyed a tremendous private-public partnership with the City of Buffalo and we are thrilled to be able to assist Mayor Brown with these important and rewarding initiatives. By assisting our neighbors who have kept the City going during this unprecedented times, who need essential food the most, and who will one day be our future leaders, we hope this donation allows us to give back to the City and the community that we love so much,” said Mike Buczkowski, President of Rich Baseball Operations.

The hot, prepackaged meals were prepared by Kevin’s Catering, and safely distributed to 210 Streets and Sanitation employees during a pickup event today at MLK, Jr. Park. The remainder of the meals will be distributed throughout the week to other employees of Streets and Sanitation, Parks, Engineering Departments; as well as employees of Buffalo Sewer, Buffalo Water and Mayor Brown’s Impact Team.

The Buffalo Bisons’ donation will help support Evergreen Health’s food pantry efforts while connecting residents of the 14215 zip code to COVID-19 testing at Evergreen’s 3297 Bailey Avenue location, a testing site which is scheduled to open on May 20th. While this is primarily a drive-thru testing site, Evergreen Health will accept some walk-ups. Testing is open to anyone age 16 and older, and while prescriptions are not required residents must provide proof of health insurance to schedule an appointment. To schedule testing call 716-847-2441 option 7.

“Evergreen Health’s purpose is to foster healthy communities by providing medical, behavioral and supportive services to the individuals and families who need them the most, many of which are underserved by the healthcare system. One of these services is the Evergreen food pantry, which has been absolutely critical throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, since the challenges of food and finances are both top of mind for our patients and our neighbors right now,” said Raymond Ganoe, President and CEO of Evergreen Health. “We thank the Buffalo Bisons and the City of Buffalo for standing behind us and helping us provide necessary resources and COVID-19 testing in the Buffalo community.”

South Bend Cubs Launch Meals for Medical MVPs

 

UPDATE: Due to overwhelming demand, we’re offering our Meals For Medical MVPs for one more week. Feed a front line healthcare worker and their family with a ballpark feast that includes hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, cookies and more! All orders must be in by Thursday, June 18 at 5:00 p.m. THANK YOU for your generosity Michiana!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A MEAL PACKAGE

SOUTH BEND, IN – The South Bend Cubs have teamed up with Beacon Health System and Saint Joseph Health System to launch a new program that will feed front line healthcare workers and their families. Meals for Medical MVPs kicks off this week. Fans interested in thanking these essential workers and their families can purchase a $60 feast of ballpark favorites by calling (574) 235-9988 or by clicking below.

The meal includes hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, chips, cookies and lemonade and serves 4-5 people. As a personal way to say ‘thank you’, each donation will also include the name of the individual, family, or business providing the meal. Packages will be donated and distributed to healthcare workers at Memorial Hospital in South Bend and Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka.

“Great teammates support each other in both good times and hard times. Meals for Medical MVPs is another way we as a community can thank front line healthcare workers for always having our backs,” stated South Bend Cubs President, Joe Hart. “My family and I are donating the first five meals. And, I want to challenge our community and business leaders to join me in showing our gratitude for these folks and their families.”

This program expands upon earlier efforts made by the South Bend Cubs, when the organization donated over 2,000 meals to both hospitals as healthcare workers and medical staff were hit with the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in the Michiana region.

“The South Bend Cubs are one of the many community partners who demonstrates tremendous support to our medical team,” stated Chad Towner, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Joseph Health System.

Susan King, President of Beacon Health Foundation added, “From all of us at Beacon Health System, thank you to Joe Hart, the South Bend Cubs and our entire community. Over the last two months, our community has pulled together to help one another. The generosity and support from business and the broader community to all healthcare workers has been amazing and has helped sustain us during these challenging times.”

Both Beacon Health System and Saint Joseph Health System will manage the distribution of food donations and the South Bend Cubs will help coordinate meal delivery. All meal donations placed after 3:00 p.m. on Thursdays will be rolled over to the following week.

About the South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs are the Class A minor league affiliate of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Over the past 32 seasons, the team has won four Midwest League titles, most recently in 2019, and has captured eight division titles. In 2019, the South Bend Cubs hosted the Midwest League All-Star Game. In June 2017, Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, was voted Best Class A ballpark in the country by Ballpark Digest. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest’s Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President’s Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose principal shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.

Fans Can Post Messages to McCoy’s Videoboard to Raise Funds for COVID-19 Relief

“Scoreboard Surprises…at Home Edition” can commemorate graduations, celebrations, Father’s Day, and more.

PAWTUCKET, RI – PawSox fans may send in customized messages to be displayed and photographed on McCoy Stadium’s videoboard to benefit the COVID-19 relief efforts. With a donation of any amount to the PawSox Foundation, fans receive a high resolution, digital photo of their message via email.

Fans can visit pawsox.com (and gowoosox.com) starting at noon tomorrow (Thursday, May 14) to submit messages, which can include photographs and artistic images as well.

“We recognize that so many in our community have had to miss celebrations, graduations, and family events because of the pandemic,” said PawSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg, “So we are seeking to help create commemorative cards and photos that are unique and reflective of the sentiments friends and family still wish to share.

“When our friends at the Boston Red Sox recently started a similar program, we recognized that we too could help families enjoy their moments while helping those impacted by this unprecedented phenomenon.”

Taking the idea a step further, the PawSox will also provide recorded Public Address messages from McCoy Stadium PA Announcer Ben DeCastro. Fans can submit their messages at pawsox.com.

The club will post messages of gratitude to front line heroes, first responders, and dads for Fathers Day, as well as for birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. Proceeds go to the Pawtucket Red Sox/James J. Skeffington Foundation to benefit organizations in need due to the effects of this coronavirus.

The PawSox Foundation continues to support non-profits throughout Rhode Island and the greater PawSox region as it strives to maintain operations during these challenging times.

Hooks Launch Auction Benefitting Hospitality and Tourism Employees

 

CORPUS CHRISTI – The Hooks are calling on the baseball community to support those in the hospitality, tourism and service industries through a game-worn jersey auction that began today.

A handful of select game-worn jerseys dating to 2014 will be sold at auction to benefit Visit Corpus Christi’s Visit CC Cares Program, which is designed to help employees in the hospitality, tourism and service industries who have experienced financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances. The Visit CC Cares Program recently launched the COVID-19 Coronavirus Hospitality Emergency Fund Campaign to provide one-time emergency funding to those directly impacted by the current pandemic.

“The hospitality, tourism and service industries have been dramatically impacted due to COVID-19,” said JD Davis, Hooks Director of Marketing. “When we started discussing ways our fans could make an impact through a jersey auction, Visit CC Cares was at the top of our list. It was important for us when deciding how to distribute the funds that through the Visit CC Cares Program, the donations go directly to the employees affected.”

Among the game-worn jerseys are Houston Astros players George Springer and Jose Urquidy (2019 Raspas), a signed Collin McHugh Coastal Bend jersey and a signed home Hooks jersey by current Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Colin Moran. A full list of available jerseys is below.

The auction is now live at cchooks.com/auction, closing Sunday, May 24 at 1 p.m. CT. Proceeds will directly support Visit CC Cares. A $9.95 domestic shipping and handling fee will apply.

Funds for the Visit CC Cares Program are raised through donations to the Corpus Christi CVB Heritage Society, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. Learn more about Visit CC Cares here.

GAME-WORN JERSEYS AVAILABLE AT AUCTION:

George Springer (2019 Raspas)

Jose Urquidy (2019 Raspas)

Seth Beer (2019 Raspas)

Cristian Javier (2019 Raspas)

Collin McHugh (2019 Coastal Bend, signed)

Willy Collado (2019 Coastal Bend, signed)

Ryan Engels (2019 Coastal Bend, signed)

Tim Lamonte (2019 Coastal Bend, signed)

Jake Meyers (2019 Dia de los Hooks)

Teoscar Hernández (2014 road gray, signed)

Colin Moran (2014 road gray, signed)

Doug Brocail (2014 road gray, signed)

Framber Valdez (2017 Christmas, signed)

Brandon Bailey (2019 pink, signed)

Granden Goetzman (2019 pink, signed)

Justin Ferrell (2019 pink, signed)

Bill Murphy (2018 pink, signed)

Omar Lopez (2018 Blue Ghosts)

Jorge De Leon (2014 home white)

Matt Heidenreich (2014 home white)

Brandywine Valley SPCA Drive-thru Pet Food Pantry to be Held Next Week at Frawley Stadium

 

Wilmington, DE – The Brandywine Valley SPCA (BVSPCA) has teamed up with Terra Technical Services again to hold a second drive-thru pet food pantry at Frawley Stadium to help families financially impacted by COVID-19.

Free pet food will be distributed at Frawley Stadium’s drive-thru pet food pantry as follows:

Thursday, June 12 – 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Daniel S. Frawley Stadium
801 Shipyard Dr.
Wilmington, DE

The Brandywine Valley SPCA has held four drive-thru pet food pantries to date, helping nearly 1,000 families. The drive-thru format requires participants to arrive in a vehicle, where they should remain while BVSPCA staff requests, from a 6-foot distance, information on the household pets then loads the pet food into the trunk or hatchback. Food will be available for cats and dogs while supplies last. Food storage and transport has been generously provided by Terra, along with collaboration on pantry logistics.

“No one should ever have to give up the cat or dog they love simply because they can’t afford food,” said Adam Lamb, BVSPCA CEO. “With the unprecedented spike in unemployment during this pandemic, we want to be sure to families financially impacted can keep their pets by their side during this stressful time.”

“Communities are suffering tremendously as a result of COVID-19’s economic impact, and this is just one way we can use our resources to provide support for families in need.” Conrad Muhly, CEO of Terra Technical Services, LLC.

“Wilmington cares very much about animals and their owners, so we are very happy to co-sponsor this FREE drive-thru pantry event to help make sure that everyone’s companion animal can be properly fed during the current COVID-19 crisis,” said Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki. “This is a difficult time for everyone, of course, but we want to make sure that our pets don’t get overlooked in the daily struggle to adjust to the changes we have all had to make in our daily routines. The Brandywine Valley SPCA does a tremendous amount of work regarding pet care, adoption, and education, and I hope everyone continues supporting their efforts.”

“Our community continues to come together in a time of great need, and the Blue Rocks are very proud of our role in that process,” said Andrew Layman, General Manager, Wilmington Blue Rocks. “Anything we can do to assist in the prevention of suffering for anyone or anything is our top priority, and this event is going to help a lot of wonderful pets and their families. We are grateful to all who can help as well as the Brandywine Valley SPCA for the hard work they’ve poured into this to make it possible.”

“Riverfront Wilmington is thrilled to work with the Brandywine Valley SPCA on this event,” said Joe Valenti, Marketing Manager, Riverfront Development Corporation of Delaware. “During this difficult time, we are proud to do what we can to help pet owners provide for their animals, as well as keep as many pets out of shelters as possible.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the Brandywine Valley SPCA has distributed more than more 60,000 pounds of pet food to families in need and sent five truckloads of pet food to other shelters for their pantries. In addition to the drive-thru pantries, the BVSPCA has expanded its standard pet food pantry to be accessible anytime during shelter open hours: Tuesday – Friday 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Donations to help the BVSPCA continue to supply pet food to families in need can be made at: https://bvspca.org/covidresponse/

About the Brandywine Valley SPCA

Founded in 1929, the Brandywine Valley SPCA is the first open admission no-kill shelter in Pennsylvania and Delaware. In 2019, the BVSPCA cared for more than 13,000 stray, owner-surrendered, wayward owned, and abused and neglected animals while achieving a 96% live release rate. The BVSPCA provides animal protective services for Chester County and much of Delaware County in Pennsylvania, and it holds a five-year contract with the Delaware Office of Animal Welfare to provide state-wide animal services for dogs. Animals are placed through four adoption centers: Dover Campus, Georgetown Campus, New Castle Campus, and West Chester Campus. In addition, the BVSPCA provides families with safety net and low-cost veterinary services at its four clinic locations: the Malvern Animal Health Center, the New Castle Animal Health Center, and the Georgetown Animal Health Center. The BVSPCA also operates the Animal Rescue Center (ARC), a facility dedicated to helping animals with additional needs prior to being ready for adoption, such as cruelty cases, disaster victims, and infants. Visit bvspca.org.

About Terra Technical Services

Founded in 1993 by Conrad E. Muhly IV, Terra Technical Services, LLC with local headquarters based in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. They are an industry leader specializing in commercial and industrial demolition projects throughout the United States. Terra provides turnkey solutions to clients while managing projects with safe, high quality, cost-effective services day in and day out with a focus on 100% client satisfaction while completing projects within budget and on time.

As a “Best in Class” Environmental Remediation and Demolition Full-Service Company some of Terra Technical’s projects include complex decontamination and dismantlement of industrial and chemical manufacturing facilities. Terra’s expertise also includes the completion of many multi-faceted environmental remediation, demolition and recycling projects for a vast array of institutional clients including hospitals, universities, municipalities, retailers, and educational institutions along with government entities.

Conrad Muhly served as Brandywine Valley SPCA Chairman for over seven years, and he continues to hold a Board position. Conrad, along with several of Terra’s executive leaders, serves a number of voluntary board positions both locally and on a national level to promote community outreach and support.

More info: www.goterra.com

Round Rock Express to Honor Class of 2020 on Dell Diamond Marquee

 

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Round Rock Express and Dell Technologies want to tip their caps to the Class of 2020 through personalized messages on the outdoor marquee along Highway 79 at Dell Diamond. Fans are encouraged to submit names and photos of local high school graduates in the Class of 2020 to be featured by clicking here.

“Dell Diamond has been the home of countless milestone events for high school seniors over the years, including proms, graduation ceremonies, graduation parties and sports banquets. Our hearts go out to the seniors in the Class of 2020 that cannot experience these memories in the traditional sense, so with the help of Dell Technologies, we wanted to do something special for them,” Round Rock Express President Chris Almendarez said. “We look forward to sharing these messages not only with friends and family of the graduates, but with the thousands of people who pass by Dell Diamond along Highway 79 each day.”

The Round Rock Express graphic design team will create a personalized message of congratulations for each submission to be displayed on the Dell Diamond marquee on a date of the graduates’ choosing, free of charge. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 25, messages will be displayed in alphabetical order by last name and will run for a minimum of 10 seconds each. The entire collection of messages for each day will run on a loop until 9:00 a.m. the following morning. A maximum of 100 messages can be displayed each day from Monday, May 25 until Friday, May 29. Additional days to honor more students will be added if demand allows.

Fans are encouraged to safely capture these moments from their vehicles in the Suite Lot at Dell Diamond and to tag the Round Rock Express when sharing on social media. The Express are asking for fans to submit the graduates’ name, high school and photo by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20 through this link. Please note, solo photos of the graduate only are preferred.

For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Fireflies T-Shirts Result in Donation for “Peace of Mind”

 

Columbia, S.C. – The Columbia Fireflies raised over $2,300 to support “Peace of Mind,” a program that provides free hotel rooms to Columbia’s first responders, medical professionals and front-line city staff who work in challenging environments that might allow for overexposure to the Coronavirus. The Fireflies were able to raise the money by selling a limited edition “Wash Your Wings” t-shirt and donated the profits to the Midlands organization.

“We are extremely excited that we were able to raise over $2,300 for Peace of Mind,” said Mallory Turnbull, Merchandise Manager for the Fireflies. “Orders for the Wash Your Wings T-Shirt came in from all over the country and we would like to thank everyone who purchased a shirt for supporting our local community and the front line workers who continue to work hard to keep our community safe.”

The Fireflies initiative started April 16 and ran through April 30.

Peace of Mind is administered by the Columbia Police Foundation, who have set a goal to raise at least $20,000. If you would like to donate separately, you can send donations to:

Columbia Police Foundation

Attn: Chief Skip Holbrook

1 Justice Square

Columbia, SC 29201

Even though shirt sales have ended, the Fireflies are continuing their efforts to help the Midlands during this time. The Fireflies have partnered with Minor League Baseball and Feeding America to help the national CommUNITY First campaign. Fireflies fans are encouraged to visit MiLB.com/CommUNITYFirst through May 31 to donate. Once on the site, fans can choose their donation amount and the Columbia Fireflies as the recipient of their donation to direct funds to the Midlands community. For every $10 donated, the Fireflies will donate one ticket to a future home game this season or in 2021 to a local hero of the pandemic.

IronPigs to celebrate Nurses Week

 

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will celebrate Nurses Week presented by The GIANT Company, Friendly’s of the Lehigh Valley and NJM Insurance, which begins on Wednesday, May 6 and runs through Tuesday, May 12. The celebration will recognize nurses from Lehigh Valley Health Network, St. Luke’s University Health Network and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, who have been in the front lines battling COVID-19.

“With this week being Nurses Week, we want to celebrate it by honoring nurses in a very fun and special way,” said IronPigs President and General Manager Kurt Landes. “We hope this week will bring recognition to a special group of people who’ve endured so much throughout this pandemic.”

The IronPigs will be bringing the Pork Race to each facility throughout the week. Medical personnel will be able to see and cheer on their favorite pork racers as they battle it out and see a piece of IronPigs fun outside the confines of Coca-Cola Park.

Lehigh Valley Health Network, St. Luke’s University Health Network and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation will each receive a balloon structure courtesy of BalloonWorks that says, “Thank You” and will be displayed for many to see. The balloon structure is a token of gratitude for each facility. To cap off the celebration for Nurses Week, the video board at Coca-Cola Park will be lit up at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 8 and streamed live on the IronPigs social media pages. The video board will consist of messages of gratitude to individual nurses. Those who would like to submit names of nurses they know, will be able to do so by commenting on the social media pages.

Throughout the week on social media, nurses will be highlighted on baseball cards. The baseball card will feature information about the nurse as it would about a baseball player. IronPigs staff members and players will be sending their gratitude throughout the week via video messages. Local businesses will be offering discounts for nurses and will be featured as well.

The 2020 IronPigs season is the team’s 13th at Coca-Cola Park. Follow the IronPigs on Twitter at @IronPigs and like them on Facebook via Facebook.com/LHVIronPigs.

The 2020 IronPigs season is presented by Capital BlueCross.