October 26, 2012 – One lucky Detroit Tigers fan has one of the hottest tickets in town thanks to State Farm and Major League Baseball® (MLB). Sharon Gayney of Redford will be cheering from the stands of Comerica Park during Game 4 of the 2012 Fall Classic after going to bat for a great charitable organization as part of the 2012 State Farm Go to Bat program, an online, charitable giving initiative driven by the commitment State Farm makes to helping communities “get to a better state®.”
As a winner, Gayney earned a donation of $18,000 for Boys and Girls Club of America through Go to Bat, an online home run derby game hosted at statefarm.com/gotobat. She chose to step up to the plate for Boys and Girls Club of America because, “giving children guidance and hope is instrumental – they need to know that people care.” Gayney has been a Tigers fan for over 40 years and it runs in the family with her uncle being a former talent scout for the ball club.
In addition to the $18,000 donation to her charity of choice and the VIP trip for two to the World Series, Gayney also will participate in an on-field ceremony at Comerica Park prior to Game 4 on Sunday, October 28 as the Go to Bat program officially culminates. She and the nine other weekly winners of Go to Bat will be recognized during the ceremony, along with representatives from State Farm and MLB. The ceremony will not only acknowledge these weekly winners, but also the collective impact of the Go to Bat program and the donations it generated for the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Teach for America and Habitat for Humanity.
More than 78,000 baseball fans across the nation went to bat for four great charitable organizations as part of the 2012 State Farm Go to Bat program, raising $180,000 in donations in a 10-week span beginning at the State Farm Home Run Derby®.
Anna Bryant, State Farm Public Affairs, (202) 263-4404
The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Club’s agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rights holders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.
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