WOODBRIDGE, Ont. -- It's a day of fun, sunshine and golf. But it’s also the biggest fundraiser for the Jays Care Foundation every year: the Jays Care Golf Classic. Thursday was no exception, as the Blue Jays brought players and fans together to hit the links at The Country Club for the 24th annual Classic.
“It’s an incredibly important day for us,” said Robert Witchel, the executive director of the Jays Care Foundation. “It raises a lot of money, and that’s money that we can use for our programming.
“To get the support of the alumni year after year -- and usually a player or two who takes their day off and joins us on the course -- it’s a lot of fun, but it’s really important to have the outcome so we can continue investing in kids across Canada.”
On his off-day, current Blue Jays catcher Luke Maile joined an impressive list of Blue Jays alumni at the event ahead of Toronto’s homestand, beginning against the Royals on Friday at Rogers Centre.
Other Blue Jays attendees included former manager Cito Gaston and players J.P. Arencibia, Jesse Barfield, George Bell, Homer Bush, Frank Catalanotto, Scott Downs, Kyle Drabek, Juan Guzman, Pat Hentgen, Orlando Hudson, Casey Janssen, Dustin McGowan, Lloyd Moseby, Scott Richmond, Ricky Romero, Shannon Stewart, Willie Upshaw, Duane Ward and Ernie Whitt.
“This is the most fun one for me, personally -- I’m a big golfer,” Maile said. “At the end of the day, this is what it’s all about. Jays Care never ceases to amaze me with how many things they do and how far their reach is across the country and everything. So any chance I have to give back -- with the amazing things I’ve seen just going to some of the events in the wintertime -- means a lot, and I want to help it grow.”
Right-hander Richmond had an opportunity to attend the Golf Classic during his own playing days with the Blue Jays, and he couldn’t have been happier to continue representing the organization at the event as an alumnus.
“This is everything,” the 39-year-old Vancouver native said. “Jays Care does so much for inner cities: They’re in the communities, they do so much all around the Toronto area, and just to give back and do anything with my time that I can, I want to come out and participate as much as possible. I’m honored they asked, excited to be back and I’m looking forward to doing many more things with them.”
Over the past five years, the charity golf tournament has raised more than $4 million in support of Jays Care’s vision to level the playing field for all Canadian youth. And for the alumni who aren't from Canada, it’s important to contribute to a community that they feel gave so much to them.
“This is where I was raised to be a baseball player,” Hudson said. “This was the first team that drafted me. I made it to the big leagues here, played a long time here in Toronto, and so Toronto definitely still hits home with me. It’s good to be able to come back and enjoy these types of events and raise money for the foundation.”
Added Barfield: “I have a heart for Canada. They were great to me and my family, and any time I have a chance to give back, I’m all in.”
Thursday’s event raised funds for programming for the foundation, and will support initiatives for communities in need across the country.
“Most of it is supporting baseball, all of it is supporting youth, and the rest is programming for kids who are facing barriers in their lives,” Witchel said. “Kids living with disabilities, kids in First Nations communities, girls who don’t have a chance to play in a safe, nurturing environment, and then of course kids in inner cities facing all sorts of challenges, including violence and poverty.
“We design and deliver programs for well over 30,000 kids, and this is regular programming for them, really trying to get them to know their potential and help them overcome some of the barriers they are facing in their lives, and then realize their dreams.”