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.
“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.