Baycats Launch "For the Love of the Game" Fundraiser

by Ryan Eakin

BARRIE - The Barrie Baycats Baseball Club announced today that we are launching our new fundraising campaign called "For the Love of the Game in partnership with The Kage, who have graciously accepted to host the equipment drive with a large bin at the front of their doors.

"For the Love of the Game" is a fundraising campaign to gather used baseball equipment to bring to the Dominican Republic. 

Every year we are very fortunate to have multiple players from the Dominican Republic play on our team. We want to take this a step further and be able to provide our players with as much equipment as we can to take back home with them. Our players will know of communities, baseball organizations, and baseball players themselves who are in need of equipment.

As we all know here in Canada, baseball equipment is easy to find, purchase, and upgrade whenever possible. However, sometimes in the Dominican Republic that is not the case. 

We need you -- the best fans in the Intercounty Baseball League -- to help to make this possible. Instead of simply throwing out or donating any used baseball equipment, we ask that you help us with our fundraiser by donating your items to us.

Used baseball equipment we are asking for include...

  • Helmets
  • Baseballs
  • Batting Gloves
  • Bats
  • Baseball Gloves
  • Cleats 
  • Socks

With the gathering of this equipment, there will be a cost of getting this to the Dominican Republic. As a result, if anyone is able and willing to donate to this cause there you can donate to our GoFundMe by clicking here.

Any amount would help us greatly.

You can drop off all equipment at the Kage Batting Facility located on 112 Saunders Rd in Barrie. 

Their hours of operations are Noon to 9 pm from Mondays to Fridays, 10 am to 9 pm on Saturdays, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays.

Baycats intern Brayden Trace -- who initiated this fundraiser -- says he cannot wait to get it kickstarted.

"When I started at the Baycats I knew that the players on our team returned home to the Dominican Republic at the conclusion of our season. I have played on teams growing up that have had different fundraisers and know of equipment drives that teams have had. I have had this idea for a while now, and I imagined we could do something similar here in Barrie with the Baycats community. It is a drive to show our appreciation to our players that come from the Dominican Republic and hopefully can provide equipment to players that can use it. 

"I am extremely excited to get this up and running. It is a possibility to do something great in some challenging times around the world. This is a drive I think our fanbase will want to get behind. This could not have been possible without the backing from ownership and the amazing work done by our manager, Josh Matlow. I think it is a great opportunity for our organization as we all share a love for the great game of baseball.

The Kage Director Chuck Schembri says he is proud to help out with this fundraiser.

"Josh came to me with the idea and we were all in right away. Being able to provide less fortunate kids with a glove, bat, or a pair of cleats means the world to them and we couldn’t be happier to help and to donate as well."

For more information, follow the Baycats on Facebook and Twitter at @iblbaycats and on Instagram at @barriebaycats.

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