Legends' Donations for 2015 Top $1,000,000
January 25, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lexington Legends News Release
(WHITAKER BANK BALLPARK, Lexington, Ky.) The Lexington Legends have announced donations for 2015 totaling $1,087,832 to a variety of non-profit organizations serving central Kentucky.
More than 100 fund-raising events were held at Whitaker Bank Ballpark last year, helping organizations raise more than $355,000. The Legends front office staff, players and coaches participated in 230 appearances in the community, and volunteered for 275 hours in the Legends' 15 Days of Service initiative, in addition to other philanthropic obligations.
In its 15-year history, the Legends organization has donated close to $14 million to the region.
"Community support and involvement will continue to be a vital part of the Lexington Legends' mission," said Legends President/CEO Andy Shea. "We're proud to support the great work being done by all of these organizations."
Among the organizations who benefited from events and programs in 2015 were:
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts: Overnight campouts for Boy Scouts (August 28) and Girl Scouts (May 8) were held following Legends games at Whitaker Bank Ballpark.
Brave The Blue (Boy Scouts of America Bluegrass Council): The Legends supported the Boy Scouts by participating in the "Brave the Blue" campaign, in which donations were raised by those who rappelled down the 30-story Financial Center building in downtown Lexington. The Legends' Big L has been among the rappellers in all four years of the campaign.
Breast Cancer Research and Awareness: The Legends held a Breast Cancer Awareness Night on July 11. Funds raised through an auction of pink jerseys and pink bases used during the Legends game that night, along with t-shirt sales, benefited Kentucky Cancer Link, which serves breast cancer patients on a personal basis by reducing or eliminating barriers to screening, diagnosis and treatment; The Markey Cancer Center, established in 1983 as a Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Susan G. Komen, the world's largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. The Legends and LBX held a celebration dinner, with proceeds going to those same three organizations.
Guns and Hoses Softball Game: The Legends provide the setting for the Guns and Hoses game, which matches the Lexington Police Department against the Lexington Fire Department in a softball game and home run derby. The winning team takes home a trophy. The loser receives a toilet seat as the runner-up prize.
Hit the Books Reading Program: Geared toward elementary schools, the Legends' Hit the Books Reading Program is designed to encourage students to read, both in school and away from school. The Legends gave away 31,000 bookmarks to students in central Kentucky in 2015, each of which could be redeemed for two tickets to a Legends game.
Kentucky SAVE : The Legends held 10 "Bark in the Park" nights during the 2015 season, on which fans were invited to bring their dogs to a Legends game. The "admission" price for dogs was a donation to Kentucky SAVE (Saving Animals, Volunteering, Educating). Kentucky SAVE is a non-profit 501c3 certified, no kill animal rescue dedicated to caring, helping, training and placing homeless, abandoned, abused, injured and ill domestic animals throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Legends Character Award at William Wells Brown Elementary: Every nine weeks during the school year, 19 students from William Wells Brown Elementary School in Lexington are awarded the Legends Character Award. The award is given to motivate students to demonstrate good behavior and a great attitude. The students are nominated by their classroom teachers. Winners are publicly recognized and personally congratulated by the Legends' Big L.
Military Appreciation Night: The Legends' Military Appreciation night was held on June 13. It included an auction of camouflage jerseys to benefit Military Missions, a local non-profit organization that supports troops in a variety of ways, including the sending of care packages with personal items and snacks. The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball game has become a favorite of Legends fans. It takes place on the Whitaker Bank Ballpark field on Military Appreciation Night before the Legends game.
St. Joseph Hospital Nursing Scholarship Program: At the end of every baseball season, the Legends hold the "Jersey Off Our Backs" silent auction for the home jerseys worn during the season. Proceeds go to the St. Joseph Hospital Nursing Scholarship Program.
In-kind donations
In the 2015 season, more than 99,000 box seat tickets were donated to various organizations and camps through the Legends' partnership with United Way, along with Hit the Books, a Legends' campaign to encourage Central Kentucky students to read. More than 300 donations were made through the Legends online donation request system at lexingtonlegends.com under the "Community" tab.
For more information on the Legends' community programs, contact Rebecca Barnes, director of community relations, 859-422-7859 or rbarnes@lexingtonlegends.com.
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