April 26, 2011

More Than $4 Million Will Go Toward Projects in the Local Community and Beyond

Major League Baseball will host a series of charitable initiatives and activities leading up to the 82nd MLB All-Star Game that will leave a lasting legacy in the communities of Greater Phoenix and beyond. This MLB All-Star Summer community effort will complement the midsummer celebration of Baseball and the Arizona Diamondbacks; support children, cancer research and awareness organizations, veterans, opportunities for young people to play baseball and softball; and will highlight the importance of environmental consciousness.

More Than $4 Million Donation to Local and National Charities

MLB and the D-backs will donate more than $4 million through MLB Charities and the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation to MLB All-Star projects in the Greater Phoenix area. The funds, raised from Gatorade All-Star Workout Day on Monday, July 11, will be donated to a variety of local and national charities.

MLB All-Star Summer Lasting Legacy Support

2011 MLB All-Star Summer activities will support charitable organizations and initiatives including Stand Up To Cancer, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Make-A-Wish Foundation, among others.

A significant portion of the donation from MLB and the D-backs will remain in the Greater Phoenix Area to fund a number of worthy projects and causes including: 

• Boys & Girls Club Renovation Project (Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, Kieckhefer Branch) – With assistance from Magical Builders, comprehensive renovation of the Club’s interior and exterior, including game room, teen center, main entry, multi-use field, restrooms, cafeteria, kitchen, youth media center, gym/assembly room, youth computer lab, building façade and security gate.
• Foundation for Blind Children Vision Technology Center – Funding will provide state-of-the-art vision technology and training on use for Smartphone devices (iPhone, Blackberry, etc.) as well as special Braille note takers, laptops, close circuit TV, magnifiers and translation software. Additionally, it will provide service technology, upgrades when needed and evaluations and assessments of blind students.
• Rebuilding Together – Renovations to the Arizona State Veteran Home in Phoenix, including the entry area and patio, in addition to construction of shade covers for patient vans and a new greenhouse for a therapeutic gardening program.

All-Star Charity Dance-A-Thon

The first-ever All-Star Charity Dance-A-Thon will take place on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Participants in the All-Star Charity Dance-A-Thon will be dancing to an eclectic mix of music throughout the nine hour event which will take place from 3:00 p.m. to Midnight Arizona time. Glee’s very own acclaimed choreographer, Zach Woodlee, will lead the crowd in coordinated and spontaneous dance moves. He and other VIP guests will also serve as judges for a soon-to-be announced contest that will be open to Dance-A-Thon attendees. Attendees will have the chance to win an exclusive meet-and-greet opportunity on the set of Glee.  All event-related net proceeds will be donated equally to three charities supporting the fight against cancer -- Stand Up To Cancer, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Registration and additional event information is available at allstargame.com.

Environmental Efforts

2011 MLB All-Star Summer will build on the continued commitment to the environment by Major League Baseball and the partnership with Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) by incorporating a wide variety of environmentally-sensitive efforts, including:

• Hosting “greening activities in the Greater Phoenix community;
• Raising awareness about the importance of “going green” via public service announcements in-stadium and environmental education materials online (mlb.com/green);
• Prioritizing recycling at events throughout MLB All-Star Week;
• Addressing energy usage through efficiency measures and by investing in renewable energy offsets.

For more information, please visit allstargame.com or dbacks.com/asg.

About the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 82nd Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 12th in Phoenix and will feature the best of the American League taking on the top players of the National League. Building up to the excitement of the All-Star Game, Major League Baseball will conduct a wide variety of special events and charitable activities for fans both inside and outside of Chase Field. At the ballpark, the events will include Taco Bell All-Star Sunday on Sunday, July 10 featuring the XM All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game, and Gatorade All-Star Workout Day on Monday, July 11 featuring the State Farm Home Run Derby on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio. Outside of the ballpark, fans will have an opportunity to experience All-Star Summer through a variety of special events including Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest, the five-day interactive fan festival; the All-Star Charity Dance-A-Thon, a baseball-themed charity dance marathon to benefit three cancer organizations; and the MLB All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet, a free parade of All-Stars through the streets of Phoenix, which will be broadcast on MLB Network. The Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally on FOX, broadcast on ESPN Radio and will be shown around the world by Major League Baseball International. For more information about 2011 All-Star Summer, visit AllStarGame.com.
 

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