Koos for Kids, Labor Day, 2007

[Brian the Automator]

file:///C:%5CUsers%5CBRIANK%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_image003.gif

LABOR DAY - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

RACINE MARRIOTT

Dinner, Silent Auction & Raffles: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Live Auction: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

« Appearances by Milwaukee Brewers Players & Staff - FREE autographs!

« Appearances by the Klements Racing Sausages

« Silent & Live Auctions

Over 100 autographed items from MLB & NFL stars, spa certificates, restaurant[/i]

certificates, gift baskets and more.[/i]

« 50/50 Raffles

« Free Kid's Raffles

TICKET INFORMATION

Adults: $15.00

Kids: $10.00 (10 & under)

Cost includes dinner, admission and one free raffle ticket.

Tickets on sale now at Porcaro Mitsubishi - Hwy. 20 Racine[/i]

Koos for Kids is a non-profit organization. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for terminally ill or disadvantaged children in Southeastern Wisconsin.[/i]

Find out more about us at[/i] www.koosforkids.com[/i][/i]

[Brian the Automator]

This dinner is organized by bullpen catcher Marcus Hanel, a Racine native, and is for a very great cause.

[jaybird2001wi]

Brian, the Charity event was an apparent success in Racine, according to the Racine Journal-Times. Here is the article published in Tuesday's edition and also the Astros took part in the festivities since they were in town anyway and just basically offered to pitch in as well. I made a thread about this yesterday but did not realize this was already posted.

 

Good guys help a good cause

Hanel's teammates help Koos for Kids fundraiser

BY PHILLIS SIDES

Journal Times

Monday, September 3, 2007 10:49 PM CDT

MOUNT PLEASANT - If success is judged by the number of people who attend an event, then the Koos for Kids annual fundraising dinner and auction was an unqualified success.

 

 

 

By 5:30 Monday night, the event had sold out, Dave Robbins of Racine said, as he greeted people attending at the Racine Marriott.

 

 

 

"We're limited to 600 people. This is our third year, and it's getting better and better every year," Robbins said.

 

 

 

Koos for Kids is the charitable organization founded by Milwaukee Brewers bullpen catcher and Racine native Marcus Hanel.

 

 

 

Hanel and a number of Brewers players came to the event after a game in Milwaukee against the Houston Astros.

 

 

 

Robbins became involved with the charity because of his friendship with Hanel.

 

 

 

"We went to high school and played ball together. And we go to the same church. He's a great guy, very giving," Robbins said.

 

 

 

Nicole Ramczyk, Hanel's sister, said their goal is to help local disadvantaged and special-needs children. "We're not working to help a specific charity but individuals. We might help with a kid's wish list or medical needs," Ramczyk said.

 

 

 

Jenni Mai and her sons can testify about the Koos for Kids' good works.

 

 

 

"All three of my sons have autism with special needs, and the baseball camp Koos (Hanel's nickname) put on for special needs kids was tremendous," Mai said.

 

 

 

"It's long overdue for organizations to put on things for special-needs kids like they do for usual kids. My kids had a ball."

 

 

 

The camp was a positive experience for the whole family, said Deb Szuhai, Mai's mother. "The people who ran it were tremendous," Szuhai said. "It was tremendous for us as a family. We all enjoyed it. We enjoyed seeing them enjoy themselves."

 

 

 

Because this year's special-needs baseball camp was so successful the organization plans to set up its own baseball league next year.

 

 

 

According to its newsletter, the group wants the kids to be on teams of their own and to play actual games against each other. They're also working on securing their own baseball field so the kids can play all summer long.

 

Players Ryan Braun, Racine's Vinny Rottino, J.J. Hardy and others from the Milwaukee Brewer organization were joined by staff and players from the Astros for an autograph session at the fundraiser.