Cookies with Claus–Over 100 Toys Collected for Toys for Tots!

The Delmarva Shorebirds would like to announce that at the Cookies with Claus event with the help of Santa and Sherman, Toys for Tots was able to collect over 100 toys which will be distributed to needy children around the Delmarva Peninsula this holiday season.

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a non-profit organization whose goal is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.

Hank Aaron Stadium turns into doctors office with flu shots

The Mobile BayBears and the Mobile County Health Department joined together to help the community on Wednesday as the parking lot of Hank Aaron Stadium to into a doctor’s office for people wishing to receive flu shots.

Lines began forming before the gates opened at 7:30 a.m. and by 11:30, nearly 1,600 shots were given out to the public.

“We had such a great turnout and we couldn’t be more pleased with its success,” Monica Knight, Director of Disease Control for the Mobile Department of Public Health said. “We would like to thank the BayBears for all of their help in making this a successful event.”

Blue Rocks Donate Nearly Half a Million for Local Causes

The Wilmington Blue Rocks proudly announce that the 2009 season saw the team, in tandem with its marketing partners and fans, donate and raise $424,000 worth of contributions to local charities, schools and community organizations. The sum represents a collective of many different types of contributions with the majority coming from monetary and ticket donations.

“We take pride in being able to contribute at this level to youth and charitable organizations in the greater Wilmington area,” said Blue Rocks general manager Chris Kemple. “I’m certain that we could not have done this without assistance from our 2009 marketing partners and fans that also played a large role in raising these funds.”

Blue Rocks concessionaire, Centerplate, allows community organizations the opportunity to volunteer at the concession stands during home games in return for a percentage of the money received at each stand. Thanks to this program almost $74,000 was given back to community organizations.

The Blue Rocks continue to support local youth baseball and donated over $1,600 as well as used baseball equipment to local Little League organizations.

Game-worn memorabilia auctions saw an increase in frequency and dollar amounts, helping to raise over $6,300. On April 19, the Blue Rocks wore purple hats to raise money for the Bernadette Farrell Memorial Fund as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Night. The Rocks sported pink jerseys on May 29 to benefit the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.

The Rocks wore camouflage hats on May 30 and August 1 to raise money for Delaware Boots on the Ground and USO Delaware. On July 3, Wilmington donned patriotic jerseys to support United Cerebral Palsy of Delaware (UCP). The Rocks wore Red hats on June 25 to raise funds for the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula. The Rocks also sported gold jerseys on Aug. 13 for Elvis Night to benefit the local chapter of the American Lung Association. Blue Rocks players went beyond the laundry too, donating game-worn cleats and batting gloves that were auctioned off for charity.

Almost 60,000 tickets were distributed to area schools over the course of the season. Mascot Rocky Bluewinkle led the charge to promote literacy with

his Reading Challenge, presented by the Delaware State Education Association. The Blue Rocks worked with local schools to reward kids who met their reading goal. In 2009, over 150 area schools were awarded a total of 57,000 tickets. Along with Rocky’s Reading Challenge the Blue Rocks donated over 2,500 tickets through programs like the IFS Outstanding Students Program, which allows teachers to reward students who display excellence in behavior and performance in the classroom.

The team also donated over 8,000 tickets to community organizations throughout the 2009 campaign with 6,000 going to local fundraisers, 1,000 donated to the USO Delaware to use for their soldiers and staff, and the remainder finding a number of other local non-profit organizations in need. Those same non-profit groups received another $2,000 worth of free/discounted video board advertising and concourse tables to promote themselves and their worthy events.

The Blue Rocks organized special events to collect money and goods for those less fortunate. Before the season, the team held a gift drive for kids at the Mary Campbell Center. The team also offered ticket discounts to fans that donated items to the Food Bank of Delaware. The Blue Rocks Charity Golf Classic, held at Deerfield Golf and Tennis Club on Aug. 17, raised over $1,500 for UCP and CHILD, Inc. in one day.

Community appearances proved a regular item on the team’s calendar. Mascot Rocky Bluewinkle and numerous Blue Rocks players visited A.I. duPont Hospital for Children at least once a month throughout the season in addition to other appearances. Rocky logged over 60 community service hours at schools and charitable events as well. Rocks’ players put in over 20 hours despite their grueling 140-game schedule over five-plus months time. The Blue Rocks visited schools and community organizations throughout the Delaware Valley, tallying over 40 hours of their time throughout the season.

The K’s for Kids Program presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware (BCBSDE) completed its fourth season with great success. BCBSDE donated $10 to a local charity for every home game strikeout the Blue Rocks pitching staff recorded. Thanks to this program, BCBSDE presented Girls on the Run a check for $5,000 before the Blue Rocks game on Sept. 2.

Challenger Little League returned for its annual day of baseball on May 12. Teams from the league were able to play their games on Judy Johnson Field before the Rocks’ contest later that night in a tradition that has spanned over a decade.

During the last homestand of the regular season, the Wilmington police department collected donations for the daughter of a slain Georgetown police officer Chad Spicer. The generosity of Blue Rocks fans contributed over $5,000 to Aubrey Spicer’s trust fund.

Blue Rocks players (left to right) Clint Robinson, Adrian Ortiz and Ryan Eigsti joined with Rocky Bluewinkle for a visit at A.I. duPont Hospital during the season. (Brad Glazier)

Royals, Team’s Advertisers and Fans Aid Several Worthy Causes

The Omaha Royals increased their giving to local charities, community organizations and schools during the team’s 2009 season. The Royals, with the help of several of the team’s advertisers and its fans, donated more than $861,000 this season, mostly in the form of tickets and cash. That figure was up almost $40,000 from 2008.

“We continually talk about being engaged in the metro community and 2009 was again proof of our mission,” said Martie Cordaro, Royals Vice President/General Manager. “We are excited about what we have planned for 2010 and hope that new sponsors will join us so we can even further impact the community.”

Two season-long promotions generated over $11,000 in cash for two charities. The “Hurl the Pearl” promotion, presented by Nissan of Omaha and McDonald’s, raised almost $8,200 for the Ronald McDonald House. Werner Enterprises donated $2,870 to PlaySmart through its RBI promotion, in which the Royals’ 2009 presenting sponsor pledged $10 for each Royals RBI at home.

Once again in 2009, the Royals held silent auctions of various specially-designed jerseys and caps – autographed by the players who wore them –  during several home games. On June 6, an auction of baby blue jerseys and caps raised $2,155 for the Nebraska Colon Cancer Screening Program. The Royals wore red caps on June 27, with that auction and a $1 donation for every red item sold at the Royal Treasures Gift Shop netting $1,114 for the ALS Association. The fourth annual Strike Out Breast Cancer Night on August 7 featured an auction of pink jerseys and the sale of pink hats, providing $3,479 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. An auction of Royals black hats on August 28 raised almost $1,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, while a September 3 auction of baseball memorabilia generated over $1,400 toward the team’s $11,000 goal to support the AllPlay Foundation in 2010.

In 2009 the Royals donated thousands of tickets to their home games, with most of them being earned by school children through good work in the classroom. Almost 24,000 students from 74 area schools were encouraged to read books in exchange for tickets to Royals games in the Hit the Books program, which was presented by the Nebraska College Savings Program. Nearly 11,000 students from 70 area schools received tickets to the team’s April 20 game for the 10th annual Cox Communications Home Run for Youth Day. The Royals donated 25,000 Reserved Seat tickets for their August 8 game to the Omaha Public Library’s Summer Reading Program.  10,000 General Admission tickets went to the United Way for that organization to use as a “thank you” gift for their donors.  Also, businesses and season ticket holders donated over 2,800 Royals tickets to Baseball Buddies, with those tickets going to kids who normally wouldn’t be able to attend a game.

The team’s Community Organization of the Night program continued to grow in 2009. Partnering with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the Royals provided over $53,000 worth of advertising, booth space and tickets to 72 non-profit groups and gave them a forum on-field and on the team’s game broadcasts to talk about those organizations’ work in the community.

Royals fans brought more than 2,200 cans and boxes of Our Family Brand food to Sunday home games, with all of it going to the Open Door Mission. In exchange, those fans received more than $15,000 worth of tickets.

The Royals staff, players and mascots were also busy away from the ballpark, with the staff giving more than 400 hours and the players and mascots chipping in over 200 hours to community service and appearances. On June 11 alone, Royals staff members committed more than 50 hours of community service, in honor of the team reaching the 11-million fan milestone earlier in the season. On August 22, a dozen staff members, family, partners from Lovgren Marketing Group and Casey took part in an ALS Walk at Elmwood Park, raising $4,500 in pledges. The team held its annual golf tournament on August 31 at Pacific Springs, raising more than $2,500 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in honor of Royals manager Mike Jirschele’s family.

Gwinnett Braves Donate Over $150,000 to Local Non-Profits During Inaugural Season

During the Gwinnett Braves inaugural season, the team donated over $150,000 to local non-profits as a result of fundraisers completed during the team’s season. The G-Braves showcased the groups during a pre-game presentation on Saturday, September 5 when the team took on the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox) at 6:00 p.m.

“Gwinnett County is known for its strong sense of community and since our team arrived, we have been wholeheartedly welcomed into this close-knit population,” said Gwinnett Braves General Manager Bruce Baldwin. “It is only right that we give back to the people that not only brought us here, but also to the people that continue to make Gwinnett County our home.”

Volunteers from Exodus Outreach, Collins Hill High School (Band Boosters, Spirit Club, Takedown Club and Lacrosse), St. Monica’s Knights of Columbus and Grayson Takedown Club worked with ARAMARK, the food and beverage provider at Gwinnett Stadium, to staff select concession stands throughout the season. In return, the groups earned a portion of that stand’s profit. Heading into the final weekend of the season the groups raised a combined $142,204.75 for their efforts.

In addition to the concession fundraiser, the Gwinnett Braves partnered with local non-profits to hold 50/50 raffles at each weekend game. Combined the 50/50 raffles resulted in over $7,000 for the following groups:
233rd Seabee Battalion
American Diabetes Association
Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends
Autism Speaks
Beta Sigma Phi
Caminar Latino
Children’s Miracle Network
Children’s Restoration Network
Family Promise of Gwinnett
Foster Children’s Foundation
Gwinnett Ballet Theater
Gwinnett Choral Guild
Gwinnett County Special Olympics
Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity
Gwinnett Humane Society
Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation
Happy Tails
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
March of Dimes
Metro Atlanta YMCA
Operation Homefront
The Hope Clinic
Toys for Tots

Every season, the Gwinnett Braves players and coaches combine to make one special gift to a local charity. This year, the team will donate the funds necessary to build a portable bocce court for the Gwinnett County Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics 50/50 Raffle at Coolray Field

Monsters/Local Patrons “Share The Experience”

For the last three months, the Vermont Lake Monsters have reached out to their community partners inviting donations that have, in turn, brought thousands of children to historic Centennial Field to enjoy a Lake Monsters game and the family fun environment.

The “Share the Experience” program represents yet another way the Lake Monsters strive to place a focus on the Burlington community, as well the State of Vermont. Joining the “Hit the Books,” “Outstanding Students,” and countless other programs, this collaborative effort can be a powerful step in touching lives throughout the area.

Thus far in 2009, the LakeMonsters have allocated over $6,000 in donated tickets to various youth groups throughout the state and have hosted over 1,200 children at Centennial Field.

“Thank you so much for this opportunity,” activities coordinator for Essex CHIPS and TeenCenter, Diana Neidecker, said. “Our kids had a great time!”

Lake Monster’s director of community relations and promotions, Denny Madigan, added: “It’s great that a professional sports organization can do so much for the community, especially helping out kids who may not have ever had an opportunity to enjoy the LakeMonsters experience.”

Charleston RiverDogs Donate $25,000 For Research to Fight Blindness

The Charleston RiverDogs again made a sizeable donation to the Medical University of South Carolina’s Storm Eye Institute for research to fight blindness.

The $25,000 donation comes primarily from the RiverDogs’ 10th Annual “Kindness Beats Blindness” auction that was held on June 20.  Money also came from the 5th Annual Hot Stove Banquet & Silent Auction on January 30 that featured Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry and the 4th Annual “Fun Is Good” Golf Tournament on May 19.

The ceremonial check was presented Wednesday night prior to the RiverDogs game with the Delmarva Shorebirds.

“We thank the RiverDogs and their fabulous fans for the gift of $25,000 to support eye research at Storm Eye Institute,” said Toni McHugh, the Institute’s Director of Development.  “This gift is very significant, and the money will be used toward the quest to save and restore sight.”

“The entire RiverDogs family remains overwhelmed by the continued support from the Charleston community for this worthy cause,” said General Manager Dave Echols.  “We are able to continue offering unique items for the auction that appeal to everyone as the event grows each year.”

Blindness became the RiverDogs’ primary charity when RiverDogs president Mike Veeck’s daughter, Rebecca, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa several years ago.  Veeck and his wife, Libby, have dedicated themselves and most of their charitable efforts toward fighting blindness.

“As an ophthalmologist, I want to provide hope to patients like Rebecca and their families,” said Dr. M. Edward Wilson, Director of the Storm Eye Institute.  “The research at Storm Eye Institute, made possible by donations like this, is the hope.  Our researchers are committed to finding cures and treatments for these blinding eye diseases and making it possible for people like Rebecca to see again.”

“The generosity of the Charleston RiverDogs organization enables Storm Eye Institute to develop new treatments for a variety of eye diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa,” said Dr. Craig Crosson, Director of Research at Storm Eye Institute.

Save Our Shriners Event a Success

The SeaWolves partnered with the “Save Our Shriners” Hospital of Erie organization on Sunday at Jerry Uht Park and helped to generate the largest single-day fundraising event for this worthy cause.

On Sunday as the ‘Wolves battled the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Erie fans showed their generosity in helping the battle to save the Erie Shriners Hospital for Children.

Over $2,300 was raised through ticket redemptions, 50/50, Chinese Auction for autographed items, autographed jersey silent auction, merchandise and donations.

“We are so happy that the SeaWolves plShriners-hospital-for-childayers, coaches and front office staff were able to help with the efforts to save the Shriners Hospital,” SeaWolves Team President/General Manager John Frey said, “The fact that we were able to generate the largest single-day event speaks volumes of our fans and the Erie community in rallying behind this cause.”

The day could also not have been pulled off without the help of the Erie SeaWolves Booster Club who helped staff the event and sell 50/50 tickets.