We are thrilled to announce the winner of Winspire’s second Donation Give-Away drawing of 2017!
Congratulations goes to Robin Loyed, Board Member and Game Day Announcer at Miracle League of Las Vegas, a charitable organization that provides children and adults with special needs the opportunity to play baseball in a safe, nurturing environment.
It’s our honor to be able to donate a 2-night stay at the spectacular Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, Calif., a Preferred Hotels property, for their use in an upcoming fundraiser.
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After the drawing, we reached out to Loyed to find out more about their cause and how the prize can be used to generate revenue for Miracle League. Read on to learn more, plus get a sneak peek at our next giveaway!
Baseball for All ⚾
Longer days, warmer temps and flowers in bloom mean the end of winter is near, but spring doesn’t officially start until the first crack of the bat on Opening Day.
Baseball is a national pastime for all Americans, and nowhere is that clearer than on the field with Miracle League of Las Vegas. On March 17th, Miracle League kicked off a new season hosting baseball games for children and adults with cognitive and physical challenges.
“At Miracle League of Las Vegas, we strive to give players a sense of team pride and inclusion, just like their able-bodied peers that play the game of baseball,” explains Loyed.
Keep the Focus on Fun
The League incorporates a few baseball modifications that allow special needs individuals to play the game safely and freely.
First, the equipment features a foam ball and soft, spongy playing surface. Every player is introduced by the game-day announcer (Loyed), who calls the play-by-play action for the families and spectators. And of course players have the option to have their own “walk-up” music play during their at-bat.
The game itself is two innings long. Each player gets to bat, circle the bases and score in each inning, building self-confidence and providing mental and physical stimulation for each player.
In between innings, everyone at the field does the world-famous Miracle League of Las Vegas Chicken Dance.
Finally, Las Vegas entertainers, sports celebrities (Clayton Kershaw took the mound in 2015) and costumed-characters are frequent participants in the games.
Pictured left: Loyed interviews U.S. Olympian and BMX gold-medal winner Conner Fields (left) and New Zealand BMX Olympian Trent Jones. “They came out to the field last fall, pitched to the players, pinch-hitted for the teams, posed for pictures and signed autographs,” he recalls. “Hats off to them.”
These 100 percent family-friendly games offer a welcome respite for families facing everyday care-giving responsibilities.
“Many players in our program have shown improved dexterity, mobility, and verbal and social skills,” Loyed asserts.
And like any great time spent outside with friends, Miracle League is just plain fun. Says player Jeremiah: “I love playing baseball and ask my mom nearly every day if today is Miracle League.”
Big Plans Ahead
In its seventh year, the organization is aiming high to meet a growing need.
“We currently serve a diverse population of 200+ players in each of our 8-game Spring and Fall seasons. With this many participants, we are at full capacity for the 3rd straight year. Awareness of and interest in our program continues to increase annually.”
The Miracle League of Las Vegas relies heavily on sponsorships, grants, and donations to fund its Spring and Fall Season operations. According to Loyed, 99.4 percent of funds raised each year stay in the local league to serve the ‘Miracle League family.’
Best of all, Miracle League recently reached a huge milestone: Through donations, grants, fundraisers and merchandise sales, they achieved a sustainable, break-even position last year for the first time since the league began in 2010!
This is just the start of new opportunities ahead.
“We are currently raising funds for a new LED scoreboard,” Loyed says. “First, it will greatly enhance the game-day experience of our players and their families through personalized messaging and on-field video. Our players get a huge boost of self-confidence with every mention of their names over the PA system today. Going forward, seeing their names and faces on the new scoreboard will take this sense of personal and team pride to a new level.
“Additionally, it will give us sustainable sponsorship revenue flow through in-game video spot advertising capabilities, helping to ensure our viability going forward.
The project will positively impact an estimated 5,000 Miracle League members and others from the community over the course of a full year.
In addition to the scoreboard, the nonprofit also plans on expanding the number of teams to 14 and branching out into soccer.
Fundraisers On Deck
Miracle League’s major annual fundraising events are just around the corner.
First up is the fourth annual Home Run Derby on April 29th. The event will feature former major-leaguers, local celebrities, Open Division batters, and three Miracle League player divisions.
Then on May 17th, Miracle League has reserved the entire first floor at Topgolf Las Vegas, an exciting indoors golf entertainment complex featuring point-scoring golf games. To raise revenue, the event will include a Silent Auction, Split-the-Pot Raffle, Topgolf Bay High Score contest, and longest Drive and Putting contests.
The 2-night stay at La Valencia in La Jolla, a Preferred hotels property (pictured below), will be included in the silent auction.
On May 17, one lucky donor will win a luxury stay in sunny La Jolla, Calif.! (Event info here)
Help from Free Winspire Resources
“Our biggest fundraising challenge is acquiring new donors,” shares Loyed. “There are so many competing events in Las Vegas!”
To stand out from the competition and secure unique auction items, Miracle League turns to Winspire.
“We are big fans of Winspire. They deliver a steady stream of exceptional fundraising content that educates us, gives us new ideas, and engages us with very relevant info every time.
“Winspire templates have become standard at Miracle League, enabling our organization to greatly improve their success rate at securing silent auction packages from donors.”
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At Winspire News, it’s our honor to be able to provide resources and no-risk travel items for nonprofits across North America working tirelessly to improve our world.
In the words of Loyed, “Everyone deserves a chance to play baseball.” The dedicated staff and volunteers of Miracle League of Las Vegas are making this dream possible.
To find out more about Miracle League and the upcoming 2nd Annual Topgolf Fundraiser, follow Miracle League Las Vegas on Facebook and visit their website, www.miracleleaguelasvegas.com.
Our Next Prize
We know many of you have similar stories, and the need in your communities is only growing.
That’s why we are passionate about giving away donations to subscribers, developing event resources free of charge, offering auction consultation, and creating top-notch travel packages that cost charities nothing upfront.
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Could your organization win our next prize? Every 3 months, one lucky blog subscriber receives a donated item worth $1,000 or more for use in an upcoming fundraiser.
Click below to find out what we’re giving away in just a couple months, then multiply your odds of winning by referring others to Winspire News.
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Win over $1,000 in Auction Items
Subscribe to Winspire News for weekly event fundraising tips and you could win over $1,000 worth of donated items to use in your next charity auction! Then increase your odds by sharing this link with your colleagues and staff.
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