Back in Spring Training, Minor League Baseball umpires Dave Martinez and Chandler Durham were crew mates in Bradenton, Florida. Dave, an avid biker, was talking up cycling to Chandler, who at the time, was a runner not a biker.
Flash forward to October, and the two have been logging a lot of miles in an effort to raise funds for UMPS CARE Charities and our hospital program. David and Chandler will ride 100 miles for every $500 pledged up to 400 miles!
You can help them reach their goal of raising $2,000 through their Bike for Bears campaign!
“I think about the parents with children suffering through illnesses, and it makes me think how would I react or how would I act with a child who was sick and going through all that pain with cancer. It’s just so sad,” said Dave, a father of a 1-year-old boy, Jaxon. “This is only a small way we can help bring a little joy to these families.”
Dave said it really hit him when he was working games in Birmingham, Alabama, and the stadium was nearby a children’s hospital. The helicopters were a constant reminder of how many sick children there are, and it inspired them to do something more and give back.
A hospital stay can be a frightening and lonesome time for children. The Blue for Kids Hospital Program delivers stuffed animal friends for comfort, visitors who bring smiles and words of encouragement, and activity books and crafts to help pass the days.
“I really have a passion to do this,” Dave said. “UMPS CARE has a special place in my heart.”
For more information about this campaign or how you can donate, click HERE