In Maddon’s home town
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Young Cubs fans abound
ESPN recently produced a short video about everyone’s favorite manager. Take a few minutes to watch it and learn a little about where Joe grew up, where his mother still lives, where immigration has created a divided town, and what Maddon is trying to do about it:
[If the video doesn’t appear above, click here to watch]
The Hazleton Integration Project (HIP) and the Hazleton One Community Center, both of which Maddon helped to establish, provide facilities and programming for underprivileged and at-risk youth. On September 11th they plan to take some young Cubs fans to Citizens Bank Park to see the Cubs play beat the Phillies.
And thanks to a Facebook group called “Elite Cubs Fans” you can help support this trip. But first, a little bit about the group. I’ll admit that I was initially taken aback by the name. But what I’ve learned during my first week as a member is that the people there don’t think they know more about the Cubs, or believe they are “better” than other fans.
What makes them different is their goal to stay positive. People there can be critical, but remain optimistic and avoid becoming nasty after a loss.. That might seem easy to do now, but it wasn’t always that way. It might not be the only place you’ll go to talk about the Cubs, but it’s a great place to talk with other serious, intelligent – and optimistic – fans.
And then there’s the GoFundMe campaign in support of the HIP trip to the Cubs-Phillies game.
Help kids see the Cubs
Live, in person, in Philly
Joe says that you should
Words cannot express the gratitude we feel for #EliteCubsFans This phenomenal group is raising $$ for HIP @Cubs http://t.co/yKZs4XFRGH
— Joe Maddon (@CubsJoeMadd) August 19, 2015
The trip includes transportation, dinner on the bus, a ticket to the game and some time on the field before the game with Joe Maddon. Pretty much everything a young Cubs fan needs for a great night of baseball.
You can read more about it – and make your own contribution – by going to the GoFundMe page. The children of Hazleton – including Joe Maddon – will appreciate your generosity.
Join the haiku “elite”. Type your email address in the box and click the “Create Subscription” button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.
Filed under: Cubs
