News
Twins major players in community work
Successful fund develops more ballfields for youth programs
Alexi Casilla threw out the first pitch to help open the 2009 Parkway Little League season. (Twins)
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
11/25/09 4:00 PM EST
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins organization strives to put high-quality teams on the field every year, but there is no question it's the work that's done off the field where the franchise really shines.
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Being a major player in charitable efforts is a tremendous source of pride for the Twins, and as the club approaches that time of the year when everyone reflects back, there sure is plenty to be thankful for in 2009.
Minnesota was once again a major player in its community. From raising funds for local charities through events such as TwinsFest to donating items to more than 4,500 auctions and fundraisers to giving out more than 250,000 tickets through the TwinsCare program, the club has worked to make its impact felt throughout the 2009 calendar year. The on-field success for the Twins over the past couple of seasons has certainly given the organization more opportunities to reach out into the community, and the move to their new ballpark, Target Field, in 2010 is something the team believes can only broaden its outreach even further. "As we move into a new era of Twins baseball, the Twins Community Fund will be growing, too," said Kevin Smith, who is the team's executive director of public affairs and the Twins Community Fund. "That will just make it even better for youth baseball and softball programs in Twins Territory, because we'll have more money to expand our programs with." Since its inception in 1991, the Twins Community Fund has had the same basic mission: to enrich local communities by providing resources for the healthy development of children and families through an association with baseball and softball. It's one of the reasons why the Fields for Kids program, which helps to build and renovate ballfields, is considered a top initiative for the Community Fund. In 2009, the Fields for Kids program granted $299,199 to build and renovate 53 Upper Midwest ballfields. It was the most grants that the Twins had awarded in a year and the largest amount of money granted to the program in one single calendar year. And since '99, the Twins have helped grant more than $1.6 million to improve 425 ballfields in the Upper Midwest, South Florida and Latin America. In addition to the Fields for Kids program, the Twins have also promoted youth baseball in the following ways: • Hosting the Twins' Youth Clinic program, which visited 35 Upper Midwest and nine Southwest Florida communities, providing free baseball and softball instruction to more than 7,000 young people. • Providing grants totaling $120,000 to the Minneapolis and St. Paul Park and Recreation Departments to operate the Twins' Rookie League and RBI inner-city youth baseball and softball leagues. More than 6,000 kids took part in the leagues this year. • Handing out $20,000 in grants to establish RBI teams in new areas of St. Paul, Minn., and Minneapolis through the RBI Expansion program. The Twins were also able to grow their Diamonds and Dreams Academic Scholarship program in 2009, which annually gives scholarship support to 20 Upper Midwest high school seniors. The team doubled the scholarship amounts this year, as they rose from $1,000 to $2,000, allowing the club to make a more sizable impact in the students' lives and education. But Smith said that the team's impact in the community would not be as strong if it weren't for the many efforts made by the Twins players. "Players are the ones that lead the way," Smith said. "It means so much to have players who not only understand the importance of community activity and involvement, but actually participate in it willingly and joyfully. The way our guys get involved in the community is something that I think is really unmatched in our sport and certainly in our state." Catcher Joe Mauer, who was the Twins' 2009 Roberto Clemente Award nominee, has taken steps to making baseball more accessible for local children. Mauer's charity of choice is the "Friends of St. Paul Baseball," which is an organization that helps improve the baseball facilities for youth in St. Paul. Mauer, with help from his family, hosts an annual golf tournament fundraiser and has helped raise more than $30,000 for the charity. "I think it's probably a little bit more important for me to get involved since I grew up here," Mauer said earlier this year. "We live and play here as big league ballplayers. We're in a position where we can do a lot of good in the community, and it's a good thing to be in that position and help. I think it's probably a little bit more special for me since this is my hometown." But Mauer is far from the only Twins player who has taken the charitable initiative to heart. Justin Morneau, the Twins' 2009 Carl R. Pohlad Award winner for community service, has made himself a fixture in the local community. Morneau and his wife, Krista, held their inaugural Casino Night this past August to help raise money and awareness for juvenile arthritis, and the two plan to purchase dinners for six needy veterans and their families this Thanksgiving. Michael Cuddyer held his third annual Celebrity Waiter Dinner this past August, and the proceeds from ticket sales and both the silent and live auctions raised money for the Boys & Girls Club. The Twins Wives organization also helped support a good cause with their "Hang With the Majors at Majors" event in July. The players and their families had dinner, served drinks and hung out with fans all evening to help support the Minnesota Military Family Foundation. And while the season is over following yet another American League Central title for the Twins, the charitable efforts will continue throughout the winter. The team is preparing to hold its annual Holiday Week of Giving from Dec. 7-11, and the largest fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund is also the club's annual fan festival, TwinsFest, which is held every January and features 50 former, current and future players. "We are an organization that has a long history of participating in the community, and we relish the attention a successful team brings, because that means we can help more organizations and more people," Smith said. "We touch a lot of lives and not just through player appearances or fundraisers, but the things we do in-kind, from helping out with the smallest fundraiser for someone in need to helping at the bigger levels for charities in town and across Twins Territory. As an organization, any way that we can make an impact in the community is important."Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
