(L to R) Major League Baseball Umpire Alex MacKay and UMPS CARE Vice President/Retired MLB Umpire Paul Emmel to bring smiles to the faces of young patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado.)
Major League Baseball Umpire Alex MacKay and UMPS CARE Vice President Paul Emmel, a retired MLB Umpire, teamed up with volunteers from the Arby’s Foundation to deliver 100 Build-A-Bear Workshop® furry friends, outfits, baseball-themed activity books, crafts and more to children undergoing hospital treatment. Dinger – the Rockies’ loveable mascot – joined in the fun!
The goal of the program is to bring some fun and baseball magic to kids who are facing medical challenges.
This visit to Children’s Hospital Colorado marks the 240th delivery of Build-A-Bear® furry friends that UMPS CARE Charities since the program was created in 2006. Including the visit today, UMPS CARE has now delivered MORE THAN 24,000 Build-A-Bear® stuffed toys (24,465 to be exact!) to children in hospitals across the country and in Canada.
The Arby’s Foundation has been generously funding our UMPS CARE Blue For Kids Hospital Program for several years, and volunteers from local Arby’s restaurants participated in this visit alongside the umpire crew.
“We are thrilled to be able to give these kids and their families a little dose of happiness,” said UMPS CARE Charities Executive Director Jennifer Skolochenko-Platt. “This visit is especially meaningful as local Arby’s employees dedicated time to stuff goody bags for this event and a couple of employees were able to join the umpires with delivering the Build-A-Bear Workshop® furry friends. The Arby’s Foundation supports this program in several Major League Baseball markets throughout the year.”
UMPS CARE Charities is proud to partner with Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Umpire Association, the Colorado Rockies, The Arby’s Foundation and generous monthly donors to make this event possible. Special thanks also go to the staff at Children’s Hospital Colorado for making this visit possible.
