Big Buddy Gets Big Boost; Holy Spirit Parish Donates $5,000 to Local Youth
May 29, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Hundreds of underprivileged children will be able to take in a Whitecaps game this season, thanks to a donation from Parish of the Holy Spirit in Grand Rapids. The church contributed more than $5,000 to the 'Caps Big Buddy Program from their annual February auction. The event, which raises money for the Holy Spirit School, named the Big Buddy Program its secondary charity in 2006.
We hope to make a difference in the lives of young people in our city by allowing them to learn about the great game of baseball, said Holy Spirit auction chairperson Bruce Pienton. They will learn the importance of working hard, about learning a new skill, about exercise and just enjoying themselves! We are proud to be able to make this donation on behalf of Holy Spirit Parish.
The Big Buddy Program gives non-profit organizations the chance to bring the children and families they serve to a Whitecaps game. Local businesses donate the tickets to the Whitecaps who dispense them to worthy organizations that have applied for the opportunity. Since the program s inception in 1996, Big Buddy has given thousands of underprivileged youth the chance to take in a baseball game. For many, the night is the highlight of their summer.
Our kids are still talking about it, said Amy Scott, a match support specialist with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore, a group that received tickets in 2004. The kids were so thrilled to be able to attend a real baseball game. Many of the children in our program do not have the means to go to something like this. This is something that they can share with their families and they can carry with them forever.
The Holy Spirit donation has already allowed more than half a dozen groups to have the same experience in 2006 - and countless more will have the same opportunity later this season. Representatives from Holy Spirit will officially present the donation to the Big Buddy Program before the Whitecaps game on Tuesday, May 30. The check presentation will take place on the field at 6:20 p.m. For more information on the Big Buddy Program, you can log on to the Whitecaps website, www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
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