Teaming Up with Minor League Baseball to Support Education!

With baseball season now in ‘full swing,’ Susquehanna is launching its fifth annual Strikeouts for Straight A’s educational initiative! Eight minor league baseball teams from across the region have partnered with Susquehanna to promote the importance of good study habits in making a grand slam in students’ grades.

Since the program began, Susquehanna has raised more than $250,000 for educational programs throughout Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Here’s how it works: for every strikeout thrown by a player on one of the teams during a home game, Susquehanna will make a donation to an educational program serving children in that community. The beneficiaries for 2011 include:

• The Salvation Army of Harrisburg’s After School Program with the Harrisburg Senators

• The Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster with the Lancaster Barnstormers

• Community Alliance for Progressive Positive Action with the Williamsport Crosscutters

• Community Services for Children with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs

• The Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County with the Reading Phillies

• The Boys & Girls Club of Washington County with the Hagerstown Suns

• The Crispus Attucks’ Rising STARS Program with the York Revolution

• The Boys & Girls Club of Camden County with the Camden Riversharks

Our student beneficiaries are invited to join us on the field at the conclusion of each team’s season to celebrate the donations. They typically run the bases and have a chance to meet the players and team mascots.

Our own Susquehanna Children’s Savings mascot, Buck, gets in on the action as well. In fact, at the Reading Phils game last year, unbeknownst to us, he too was invited to run the bases. This was tougher than it sounds. In case you’ve never worn a mascot costume (particularly this one), I’ll clue you in: it’s not something you EVER need to try. Seven feet of heavy fur with a three-inch look-out via Buck’s mouth in what averages 80 degree weather all summer long. Poor Buck!

In any event, mascot or otherwise, we hope you can show your support of these wonderful charities and of your local minor league team by enjoying a game or two this season. Each team’s game schedule is listed on its website. Batter up!