What a week! Major League Baseball put on a grand celebration July 10-14 in St. Louis for its Midsummer Classic, the MLB All-Star Game. Throughout the five-day event, St. Louis-area Boys & Girls Clubs were provided with fantastic opportunities, including Club facility improvements, VIP treatment at All-Star activities and a lifetime of memories for Club members.

Making a Difference

Thanks to Tickets for Kids Charities®, 500 Club members and their families were provided with free tickets to attend MLB FanFest, where they tested their baseball skills, met current and former players, and saw baseball history come to life.

As part of the celebration, the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club of St. Louis was treated to a new baseball field, courtesy of Major League Baseball and Cardinals Care. The new field will provide the Club's RBI program with a place to host practice and tournaments.

Following the field dedication, 100 volunteers from Rawlings provided the Club with a "green" mural and memorial garden, and also renovated their multi-purpose room. The project was made possible through the generous support of the Frank Foundation.

Home Run Derby Fun

All-Star Week featured three Home Run Derby competitions, all of which benefitted Boys & Girls Clubs. Eight-year-old Krista Cochran, from the Scott Air Force Base Club in Illinois, cheered Pirate Parrot (the Pittsburgh Pirates mascot) to a win in the Mascot Home Run Derby, earning her and her dad a trip to that night's prime time Home Run Derby at Busch Stadium, longtime home of the St. Louis Cardinals. Local celebrities helped the Herbert Hoover Club earn $5,000 as they slugged it out in the Tee-Ball Home Run Derby.

During the nationally televised State Farm Home Run Derby, Club members were paired with All-Stars vying for the Home Run Derby crown.

"It felt really good to represent my Club at the Home Run Derby," said Cordell Clark, a member of the Musgrave Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield, Mo. "I am a sports fan, so having a chance to stand next to the All-Stars was really special." Cordell, 14, was paired with Philadelphia Phillies star Ryan Howard, who attended Missouri State University in Springfield. "It was neat to be partnered with an All-Star who had lived in my hometown," said Cordell.

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder hit more homers than anyone else, helping the Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto, Ill., earn $50,000 to renovate its teen center. The remaining Clubs that were part of the Derby received $10,000 for their teen center renovations. The 85 home runs hit during the annual slugfest helped raise $665,000 to support Boys & Girls Clubs of America and St. Louis-area Clubs.

All-Stars: Club Members, Players, Celebrities – and The President

Dozens of Club members were treated to private baseball clinics by MLB greats Cal Ripken Jr., Evan Longoria and Miguel Batista. The major leaguers showed Club members the basics of hitting, catching and fielding, and spent time personally coaching each young person.

Recording artist and BGCA Alumni Hall of Fame member Ashanti represented Boys & Girls Clubs during the Celebrity All-Star Game. Ashanti, who was joined by fellow musicians, actors and MLB legends in the annual contest, did Clubs proud, hitting a single and scoring a run.

Perhaps the most remarkable opportunity took place just minutes before the All-Star game, when Joshua Jones, Youth of the Year for the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club, had the distinct honor of meeting President Obama, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Joshua, proudly representing his millions of Boys & Girls Club peers, shared a personal moment of thanks and appreciation with the President. He had his photo taken and was given a commemorative presidential coin as a keepsake.

In all, close to 1,000 St. Louis-area Club members, staff and families participated in MLB All-Star week activities. Moreover, nearly $750,000 in donations were raised to support the Boys & Girls Club mission.

Great Clubs, Great Sponsors

Several nearby Clubs represented the Boys & Girls Club Movement at the event: Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club of St. Louis; Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto, Ill.; Scott Air Force Base, Ill.; Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County, Mo.; Boys & Girls Club of Alton, Ill.; Boys & Girls Club of the Capital City, Mo.; and Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield, Mo.

BGCA remains grateful for its partnership with Major League Baseball, which continues to provide once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for Club members, their families and Club staff. Club experiences at the 2009 All-Star festivities were further enhanced by the generosity of the St. Louis Cardinals, State Farm, the Frank Foundation and Tickets for Kids Charities.

Adam Guy is an account relationship director for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.