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Whitecaps kick off annual baseball equipment drive

Posted at 11:10 PM, May 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-16 23:10:30-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich -- The West Michigan Whitecaps in conjunction with the greater Grand Rapids YMCA and Fifth Third Bank kicked off its annual baseball equipment drive.

Every year they collect new or gently used baseball equipment to help inner city kids get the chance to play baseball.

"We're going to serve about 700 kids in our baseball program this summer" YMCA District Executive Jonathan Pope said. "Over the years we have depleted our glove inventory so we are looking at about 6 to 700 hundred gloves just to get us to a number that every kid has a glove they can call their own but we'll accept baseball bats and any other gently used equipment as well we want each kid to be able to play and not have a barrier like not having a glove."

Equipment can be dropped off at a great Grand Rapids YMCA, a Grand Rapids Fifth Third Bank or Fifth Third Ballpark during a home game. Those who donate will receive 4 lawn tickets to a 2018 Whitecaps home game, a frosty from Wendy's and a YMCA guest pass.

They also had a tee ball game at Rasberry Field in Grand Rapids as kids played with local celebrities including FOX 17 meteorologist and news reporter Ty Shesky.