June 24, 2010

BRANTFORD – The Brantford Red Sox will be hosting a Big Brothers & Big Sisters night on June 30, for their home game against the Barrie Baycats. Volunteers and “Littles” of Big Brothers  Big Sisters will be honoured at the game with a chance to meet the Red Sox players. A Big and Little match will be on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The agency will have a booth set-up inside the gates for the community to learn more about the organization and to show their support.

The Red Sox game will be a celebration of the ongoing mentor programs that Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Brant, Brantford, Haldimand & Norfolk provide to local children/youth.  Under the direction of Executive Director, Patti O’Reilly the agency has already seen significant growth in Brant/Brantford since expanding the service area to include Brant County/Brantford but believes there is additional room for growth.

“The Brant, Brantford region has seen growth with over 25 traditional matches on top of good numbers for several of our other programs, but we feel there are several fundraising avenues to explore,”  O’Reilly said.

The Red Sox host various games that honour organizations around Brantford, but Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organization that is easily relatable to the semi-professional baseball franchise. Athletes, like Big Brothers & Big Sisters volunteers, are often viewed as role models, so Red Sox star pitcher, Mike Meyers can value the commitment level and positive influence the volunteers at Big Brothers Big Sisters have on the shared community.

“I have a great deal of respect for the roles those volunteers play in the lives of their Little Brother or Sister,” Meyers states. “Off the field, I try hard to act as a positive influence to the kids in the community; hopefully I can make a fraction of the impact of those volunteers”.

The Red Sox game on the evening of June 30 will have a first pitch at 8:00. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $5 for Adults, $2 for Seniors/Students and FREE for kids under 13.  

In Haldimand Norfolk, Big Brothers began in 1975 and Big Sisters in 1979. In December 1983 the two organizations joined and became one service. In 2009 this agency began to service the Brant/Brantford area. The Brant, Brantford, Haldimand & Norfolk agency currently has 27 traditional big/little matches, 11 in-school mentor matches, 13 co-op matches and nine Go Girls in the Brant/Brantford region.

The Brantford Red Sox were established in 1919 and compete in the Intercounty Baseball League. They won the IBL championship in 2006, 2008 and 2009. The Red Sox play at Arnold Anderson Stadium in Brantford. For more information, please visit, www.brantfordredsox.ca