| For Immediate Release
May 7, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
*STUDENTS HIT ATTENDANCE CHALLENGE OUT OF THE PARK*
ANGELS TO HOST MORE THAN 1,100 KIDS AT BASEBALL GAME IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COPS AND PROSECUTORS TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL AND OUT OF GANGS
*Media interested in attending this event are asked to arrive at Angel Stadium at 3:30 p.m.
ORANGE COUNTY – In an ongoing effort to keep children out of gangs and in partnership with the Anaheim Police Department (APD), Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Angels) are opening their gates to more than 1,100 students as a reward for staying in school and out of gangs. More than 1,100 students, ages 9 to 13, in grades 4 through 8, and 50 school faculty chaperones will attend the game for free as guests of the Angels. The game begins at 7:05 p.m. against the Kansas City Royals on Friday, May 8, 2009.
The students will arrive at 3:30 p.m. and have early access to Angel Stadium, where they will be seated behind the dugout and have an opportunity to be greeted by Angels players, coaches, and broadcasters prior to the teams’ stretch and warm up. This will be one of the largest VIP group ever hosted at Angel Stadium prior to the opening of the gates to the public before a game. Anaheim Police Chief John Welter, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, and Orange County Sheriff’s Department representatives will also be present to congratulate the students.
The names of the eight schools will be displayed on the Angel Vision JumboTron during the game with a congratulatory message about the students’ perfect attendance. The Angels donated 1,200 tickets and free bus parking as a reward for having perfect attendance with no unexcused absences since December 2008.
“Most of these children come from families with such tight budgets that going to an Angels game is beyond their imaginations. When the Angels offered these at-risk kids the chance to take them out to the ballpark, the kids worked hard and hit their challenge out of the park,” said District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “I am extremely grateful to the Angels organization for caring about their community and the future of our kids.”
“The Angels are very excited to welcome these students to a game at Angel Stadium as a reward for their hard work in school,” said Angels Community Relations Manager Matt Bennett. “The number of students who achieved their goals this year was remarkable, and we are very proud to be part of such a wonderful program.”
“We are very proud of the students and their parents for taking advantage of the challenge…stay in school and you will be rewarded. We expected to see success, but are pleasantly surprised to see their school attendance rate tripled our expectation,” said Anaheim Police Chief John Welter. “We are very grateful to the Angels for their tremendous help.”