Cards to welcome PLAY Campaign to Busch

ST. LOUIS -- The 2014 National PLAY Campaign will be visiting Busch Stadium on Thursday, during which the program will promote its mission of encouraging children to engage in an active lifestyle. The group is making a similar stop at Nationals Park over the weekend.

PLAY (Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth) will be holding events at all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums before the end of the season. Their recent partnership with The Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) will also ensure that children with disabilities are able to participate in this year's events.

The Arc, a nonprofit organization that aims to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will send children from its area chapters to the ballpark for the event.

Former Cardinals head athletic trainer Gene Gieselmann (1969-97) is among the founding members of PBATS. Thursday's event at Busch Stadium, which will include several instructional stations, is expected to last about two hours.