GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WHTC) – A team of priests from the Diocese of Grand Rapids known as The Padres will face off in a charity softball game against local media personalities at Fifth Third Ballpark Thursday evening.
LET’S GO TO BAT FOR KIDS! is in it’s 30th year. The event raises money and awareness for the programs of Catholic Charities West Michigan. Bethany Stowe is the Events Manager of Catholic Charities and she says their programs helped nearly 500 at-risk children last year.
“We help keep families together and help parents learn how to become a family. So Last year we had over 400 children come through our foster care program and we facilitated 66 adoptions. On any given day we have over 250 children that are in our foster care program, so this game is for those kids.
Admission is free with a $7 parking fee. There will be tons of activities .A raffle will feature great prizes, such as $500 in cash, two kayaks (donated by KL Outdoor), free passes to local zoo/museums. Kids activities on the ballpark concourses will include face painting, a magician crafting balloon creations, photos with Whitecaps team mascots and a bounce house.
Between innings there will also be hilarious fan competitions on the field.
WHTC’s own Mary Ellen Murphy will be on the media team this year along with a slew of radio and television personalities.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with an opening ceremony at 6:30 and the game starts at 7:00 p.m.
Fifth Third Ballpark is located at US 131 and West River Road in Comstock Park.
