St. Louis loves baseball…Cardinal baseball. And if it weren’t already obvious, I would have figured it out over the weekend. As we were out assessing damage in the community, sheltering, delivering meals, and helping families affected by Friday’s severe weather, I spotted several Cardinal t-shirts, jackets, and hats worn by neighbors along our damage assessment routes.

 

Check Presentation

During the KMOx interview

So when the Cardinals asked if I could take a break from our relief operation for a special presentation at the stadium, I instantly said yes. After all, we both share a passion for the color red and we both love to give back to the community.

 

And give back is exactly what they did. Upon arriving at the stadium, I had the opportunity to walk on the field with our Board Chairman, Bob Ciapciak of Edward Jones and accept a $30,000 check on behalf of the team and their charitable foundation, Cardinals Care. The team's donation will assist the Red Cross tornado relief efforts and help families affected by the storm. President of the Cardinals, Bill DeWitt III; Michael Hall, Vice President of Cardinals Care and Community Relations; and team mascot, Fredbird greeted us with an oversized check and feelings of support which rivaled the check in size.

 

During the fourth inning of the game, I paid a visit to legendary broadcasters Mike Shannon and John Rooney in the KMOX booth. I spoke to John Rooney on-air about the Cardinals’ contribution and how the Red Cross is responding around the community. In addition, we talked about how it takes the support of an entire community to make the relief possible. We’ve been working with numerous businesses and organizations, individuals, fellow charities like the Salvation Army, as well as partner agencies like the United Way, and we couldn’t do it without each other. It truly is a team effort- a little something the Cardinals know all about. You can listen to the interview here in its entirety. It was an incredible experience and I was honored to be able to share our story with Cardinal Nation.

 

I felt like we hit such a home run with the Cardinals; the only thing left to do was help the team hit one on the field. Positive thoughts in mind and two men on base, Yadier Molina stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park. Coincidence? Wishful thinking? Or the result of someone stepping up to the plate in a time of need. I guess we’ll never know:) One thing’s for certain, I’m just thankful for my two favorite teams in red.

 

Cindy