Minute Maid Park was the site of “Boys & Girls Clubs Day,” on July 7 as the Astros recognized the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH) and Boys & Girls Club of Brazoria County (BGCBC) ahead of their series finale against the Kansas City Royals. Both clubs were honored in celebration of major anniversaries – the 70th for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and the 50th for Boys & Girls Clubs of Brazoria County, with more than 2300 senior management, staff, board members and Club kids with family members attending the afternoon game, which the Astros won 5-2.
Xavier E., age 10, a member of the Havard Club of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, was chosen to deliver the first pitch. BGCGH had a contest for the this. Members were asked to submit a short video on why they should throw the first pitch, and Xavier’s “pitch” about the pitch, earned him the spot.
Boys & Girls Clubs members in bright orange shirts could be seen around the ballpark as they stood in line at concession stands for hot dogs and drinks as well as in the stands in sections 420 and 431. Many of the Club members had never been to a professional baseball game, which added even more excitement to the experience. Several kids got to interact with Orbit, the Astros’ mascot.
“It was a magical day for our Clubs and for Boys & Girls Club of Brazoria County, as we descended on Minute Maid Park to celebrate milestone anniversaries as the leading youth development organization in the region,” says Kevin Hattery, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. “The excitement among our Club youth on this special afternoon was contagious, and it was icing on the cake that the game was exciting, and the Astros won.”
Photo credit: Henrich Perez
Hattery noted that the Astros organization is a long-time, generous partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and Brazoria County and has participated in many Club events with youth over the years. “We truly appreciate the Astros involvement with our organization, and I’d also like to thank Aramark for helping to make “Boys & Girls Clubs Day” at Minute Maid Park a reality.”
Says Amber Newman, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Brazoria County, “A lot of our members have not had much of an opportunity to venture out of their community. It meant a lot to us for our children and teens to experience this game at Minute Maid. We are grateful to the Astros for their generosity in hosting and recognizing our Clubs today.”
The 70th anniversary of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston is being celebrated throughout the month of July with a host of events and activities, culminating in a Club-wide birthday party on July 29. The 50th anniversary of the Boys & Girls Club of Brazoria County kicked off in January and is being celebrated all year long with a special club celebration in September and celebrity golf tournament in October.
For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, please visit www.bgcgh.org and for Boys & Girls Clubs of Brazoria County, go to www.bgcbc.org.