Fans Throughout Cardinals Nation Urged to Go RED for Kids to Celebrate Opening Day
ST. LOUIS (April 2, 2012) – To kick off the 2012 season and help celebrate the 15-year anniversary of the founding of Cardinals Care, the St. Louis Cardinals are encouraging local businesses, schools and other organizations to rally behind the team and Cardinals Care by participating in Cardinals RED for Kids.
Piloted during the 2011 postseason, Cardinals RED for Kids is the team’s version of an office “dress down” day in which participating organizations make a donation to Cardinals Care in exchange for the opportunity to sport their Cardinal colors around the office on Opening Day.
“This is a great way to show your support for the team and help kids in our community as we commemorate the fifteen year anniversary of Cardinals Care,” said Michael Hall, Vice President of Community Relations and Executive Director of Cardinals Care. “We hope to rally everyone as we celebrate the return of baseball with our reigning World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.”
To participate, local businesses and organizations can log onto cardinals.com/red and download the registration form, choosing to participate for the Cardinals’ April 4 season opener or the home opener on Friday, April 13. Individual participants within the organization are then asked to pledge a modest donation to dress down and wear red in support of the Cardinals for the day. Companies can even make matching donations to support the cause. Schools are also encouraged to participate in Cardinals RED for Kids, but are not required to make a donation to get involved.
Participating schools, businesses and organizations are also encouraged to submit a creative photo showing their RED team spirit from the Rally Day. The photos will be displayed on cardinals.com The organization that raises the most funds will receive 100 Cardinals tickets personally delivered to their office by Fredbird. Monies must be received by April 30th. Winners will be contacted directly to select their game.
For more information, or to sign up for Cardinals RED for Kids, visit cardinals.com/red.
Since its inception in 1997, Cardinals Care has invested nearly $18 million in “Caring for Kids” both on and off the baseball field. Over the last 15 years, Cardinals Care has provided nearly $11 million in grants to over 800 non-profit youth organizations and built 19 youth ball fields in local disadvantaged neighborhoods. Cardinals Care also runs the innovative Redbird Rookies program, a free baseball league for kids in Missouri and Illinois who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. In addition to providing all the uniforms, gloves, bats, balls and other equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring and the cultural arts for each of the nearly 4,500 kids who participate in the program each year. In 2011, Cardinals Care established the Joplin Recovery Fund with over $200,000 in fan donations to help the thousands of Joplin area children recover from one of the most destructive tornadoes in American history. Fans may now make a tax-deductible donation to Cardinals Care on-line at cardinals.com/community.