WCL Announces 2024 Charitable Outreach
January 23, 2025 - West Coast League (WCL) News Release
This week the West Coast League announced that in 2024 nearly $500,000 was generated via in-kind and monetary donations through its member clubs' charitable outreach. In addition, 50/50 raffles produced more than $100,000 more for local charities in Victoria and Nanaimo, British Columbia.
The WCL's charity work impacts 17 teams' communities in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, as well as Canadian provinces Alberta and British Columbia.
Last year's highlights included the Community Champions Game hosted by the Bellingham Bells as part of the WCL's All-Star Game festivities in July. WCL All-Stars played alongside athletes from the Max Higbee Center, a nonprofit providing community-based recreation programs for youth and adults with developmental disabilities. Following the game, played before a crowd of 2,000 fans, the Bells made a $10,000 donation to the Max Higbee Center.
In May, legendary WCL coach Ed Knaggs embarked on a 419-mile run from Wenatchee, Washington to Corvallis, Oregon. The Wenatchee AppleSox donated $5,000 to Knaggs's Opening Day Run, which he completed on schedule while raising awareness for adolescent mental health ... and making hundreds of new friends along the way.
"The West Coast League has always been about more than just baseball," said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer. "We're also about making a positive impact in our communities. With 17 teams, we're proud of the countless charitable initiatives that bring fans, players, and organizations together. Our league's success is measured not just in games won, but in the lasting impact we leave on these communities. And I'm excited to see our teams continue building upon all their past success."
The 2025 WCL season opens May 30, when 16 teams will be in action to begin a summer full of fun and affordable entertainment.
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