Cleveland -- The Cleveland Indians and BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence again will partner on the Indians Volunteer Challenge, which will provide those who volunteer in the Northeast Ohio community with tickets to select Indians games.
In the six years the Indians and BVU have partnered on the challenge, nearly 35,000 volunteers have performed over 228,000 hours of service in Northeast Ohio; that amounts to the equivalent of $5.17 million worth of service to local nonprofits.
"We remain committed to our community, and through the Indians Volunteer Challenge, our organization and BVU are able to positively impact the many outstanding local nonprofits in the Cleveland area," said Indians Executive Director of Community Impact Rebecca Kodysh.
New this year the Indians and BVU present the campaign #ServiceWithSlider, as Indians Mascot Slider will be appearing at various volunteer events this summer (including Fields for the Future on May 12 and BVU Summer of Service on June 10). Volunteers are encouraged to use the hashtag #ServiceWithSlider at volunteer events to engage with Slider on social media and be entered to win a chance to participate as an Indians #TribeLive fan of the game September 22 at Progressive Field.
Volunteers can register for the challenge at BVUVolunteers.org, and search for opportunities with local nonprofits. Volunteers can log hours at the same site, and once they reach four hours, they will receive instructions to obtain their Indians tickets.
Volunteers will receive two Upper Box tickets to select games (view dates at Indians.com/Volunteer) during the 2016 regular season.
Additionally, the Indians and BVU will honor one adult and one youth (18 and under) as Indians Volunteer of the Year recipients; those individuals will receive awards for logging the most hours between April 12 and August 31. The winners will be honored before the September 22 Indians game vs. Kansas City in a special pregame ceremony, receive complimentary Field Box tickets, and throw out ceremonial first pitches before the game that evening.