MLB and the Reds announce 2015 All-Star Game Community Legacy Effort

Major League Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds today announced details for the 2015 All-Star Community Legacy effort, which consists of a range of renovation projects that will leave a lasting impact within communities of Greater Cincinnati and beyond. This effort features the contribution of nearly $5 million toward national charitable programs and local projects, including nine youth baseball field renovations throughout "Reds Country."

The various All-Star Community Legacy projects, which will be unveiled leading up to the 86th MLB All-Star Game that airs LIVE on FOX on Tuesday, July 14th, are designed to positively affect the lives of underserved youth and local veterans, and also place a focus on improving the well-being of local citizens. The overall effort will complement the midsummer celebration of Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds.

Nearly $5 Million to Local Projects and National Charities

MLB and the Reds plan to donate nearly $5 million, through MLB Charities and the Reds Community Fund, a significant portion of which will go toward MLB All-Star legacy projects throughout Greater Cincinnati and "Reds Country." The donation also will support national charitable initiatives, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, Welcome Back Veterans, Stand Up To Cancer, Prostate Cancer Foundation and Susan G. Komen, among others. A percentage of the funds will be raised from Gatorade All-Star Workout Day on Monday, July 13th.

In some cases, the All-Star Community Legacy donation is going toward larger community projects that are funded by local organizations, including, but not limited to, Cincinnati Public Schools, Covington Independent Public Schools, Cincinnati Recreation Commission and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati.

MLB All-Star Community Legacy Projects

A significant portion of 2015 MLB All-Star Community Legacy donations will be directed toward communities throughout Greater Cincinnati and "Reds Country" to fund worthy projects, including the following:

• Youth Field Renovations (Howell Field - Dayton, OH; Withrow High School Fields - Cincinnati, OH; Meinken Field - Covington, KY; Don Johnson Field at the P&G Cincinnati MLB Urban Youth Academy - Cincinnati, OH; Queensgate Field - Cincinnati, OH; and Dyer Fields - Cincinnati, OH) - MLB All-Star legacy funding will help renovate nine youth baseball fields throughout "Reds Country" in order to provide first-class facilities to an expanded range of youth and amateur players in these communities, especially to those from urban and underserved areas. Scotts, the Official Lawn Care Company of Major League Baseball, will be funding the Queensgate Field in Cincinnati. Don Johnson Field at the P&G Cincinnati MLB Urban Youth Academy will be the site for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2015 All-Star Jr. RBI Classic, an event designed to provide young baseball and softball RBI program participants from around the country, ages 11-12, with the opportunity to be a part of the MLB All-Star Week experience. The Dyer Fields project will be a part of the P&G, Cincinnati Zoo, MLB and Reds Community Fund Community Makeover (see below).
• Activity Center at the Larry & Rhonda Sheakley Boys & Girls Club (Cincinnati) - Major League Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds are contributing toward the construction of a new facility for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, which is in the Price Hill neighborhood. All-Star Community Legacy dollars will directly fund an activity center at the new 17,000 square foot facility, which will allow the Club to double the amount of young people they currently serve.
• Veterans Reintegration Center (CityLink Center, Cincinnati) - As an extension of Major League Baseball's Welcome Back Veterans initiative (WelcomeBackVeterans.org), MLB and the Reds, in conjunction with the Tristate Veterans Community Alliance, will upgrade an existing space at the CityLink Center to create a new veterans reintegration center. The new center will help some of the thousands of veterans in the Greater Cincinnati area facilitate a successful transition and reintegration into the community through various resources, including financial planning, job readiness, peer coaches and referrals to qualified community organizations/services based on the needs of the veteran and his or her family.
• P&G Community Makeover (West End, Cincinnati) - Approximately 400 P&G and Cincinnati Zoo volunteers will complete a significant makeover project at the Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses facility with additional work at two nearby sites. The work at the community center will feature major HVAC and roofing repairs as well as improvements to the kitchen, library, game room, computer room and other areas. The massive volunteer effort will also include the completion of an outdoor park at the vacant Sands School playground, as well as renovations to the nearby Dyer baseball fields.
• Pediatric Primary Care Waiting Room at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati) - The project will result in significant improvements to the waiting room of the Pediatric Primary Care Center (PPC), which offers care annually to thousands of children from low-income families. The renovation will include innovative physical and virtual spaces designed to engage families with leading community organizations in order to help mitigate any potential social risks and also offer opportunities and resources to achieve their health goals.

Environmental Efforts

As part of Major League Baseball's ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, MLB will again ensure that the 86th MLB All-Star Game and 2015 All-Star Week incorporates environmentally-intelligent features. The ecologically-responsible effort includes:

• All-Star Walking Path - To encourage fans taking part in MLB All-Star Week activities to walk, rather than drive, MLB, in cooperation with the Reds, the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and Kentucky Department of Transportation, developed an All-Star Walking Path between T-Mobile All-Star FanFest at the Duke Energy Convention Center and Great American Ball Park. The path will be painted with green markings on the sidewalk and signage along the route. Fans will be able to reference the route through the MLB.com At Bat app.
• Offsets - In an effort to reduce All-Star's environmental footprint, more than 512,000 kWh of energy and 175,000 gallons of water used during the three days of ballpark events will be offset with Green-e Certified Renewable Energy Credits and water restoration credits supplied by Bonneville Environmental Foundation. In addition, player travel to and from Cincinnati will be offset through carbon offsets provided by Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
• Recycling - Great American Ball Park features 175 recycling bins, providing many opportunities for fans to recycle items. To reinforce this message, All-Star Green Teams will collect recyclables and interact with fans at All-Star Week events both at the ballpark and at other locations.
• "Green" Red Carpet - For the MLB All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet, the players will be traveling on a red carpet made from 100 percent recycled fiber that will be recycled after its use. Chevrolet will be providing flex-fuel capable Silverado vehicles for the players and their families to ride in during the event.
• Organic Waste Diversion - After several All-Star events including the All-Star Game Gala and 86th All-Star Game, MLB and the Reds will collect & donate uneaten food to feed local community members in need.
• Materials - Environmental attributes were prioritized when selecting paper products for All-Star invitations, including programs, media guides, etc. All copier paper used is 100 percent Sustainable Forestry Initiative certified paper and most paper products such as paper towels, toilet tissue, etc. are made from 100% recycled fibers.
• Awareness - T-Mobile All-Star FanFest, the largest baseball fan event in the world, will include a display on the environmental efforts by MLB and the Reds. After last year's success, MLB is again working with the University of Minnesota as well as the University of Cincinnati to provide college students with a two-credit course on environmental stewardship at large scale sporting events. These students will comprise the "All-Star Green Team."

For more MLB All-Star Week information, please visit AllStarGame.com, the All-Star Game Twitter account (@AllStarGame) and All-Star Game Facebook account (Facebook.com/MLBAllStarGame).