(L to R) MLB Umpires Jim Wolf, Alan Porter, Alex MacKay and Manny Gonzalez take time out from working the Orioles-Pirates series to deliver 100 Build-A-Bear furry friends to young patients at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.)
Nearly 20 years ago – back in 2006, UMPS CARE Charities launched its first delivery of Build-A-Bear Workshop® furry friends to children undergoing hospital treatment. The very first hospital visit that Major League Baseball Umpires made for the charity was at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. During that visit, a small group of umpires stopped by and delivered about 25 toys.
The Major League Baseball Umpires working the Baltimore Orioles-Pittsburgh Pirates series – Alan Porter, Jim Wolf, Manny Gonzalez and Alex MacKay – took time out to return to where the hospital program all began – at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore.
The umpire crew delivered 100 Build-A-Bear Workshop® cuddly toys, outfits, baseball-themed activity books, crafts and more to the young patients. Joining the umpires in the fun was the Oriole Bird!
*** Since this program began in 2006, UMPS CARE has delivered more than 24,000 Build-A-Bear® stuffed toys to children in pediatric hospitals across the country and in Canada. The visit today marks the 239th UMPS CARE delivery since the inception of this program. Following this visit, UMPS CARE will have delivered 24,365 Build-A-Bear furry friends. ***
“We are so excited to return to where this program started nearly 20 years ago,” said Jennifer Skolochenko-Platt, Executive Director at UMPS CARE Charities. “Johns Hopkins Children’s Center has been an annual stop for UMPS CARE Charities, and even during the pandemic, we continued to deliver joy and comfort to kids right here in Baltimore.”
UMPS CARE Charities wishes to thank Eisai, Major League Baseball and our donors for their financial and volunteer support for this event.
