The honor is presented to a Minor League Baseball club for ongoing commitment to charitable service.
ROCHESTER, NY – The Rochester Red Wings have been nominated by the International League for the John Henry Moss Community Service Award for the second year in a row.
The award is presented to a Minor League club for their ongoing commitment to charitable service and their support and leadership within the community and the baseball industry. Each league in the minors is allowed to nominate one team per year. The honor was created in 2013 by Minor League Baseball in honor of the late John Henry Moss, who founded what would become the South Atlantic League in 1959 and headed the circuit until 2007.
Community is the team’s middle name in Rochester, where over 8,000 community members came together in 1957 to form Rochester Community Baseball and keep the Red Wings in Rochester. The team has continually developed partnerships with local socially concerned organizations, lending support in a variety of formats such as programs, promotions, awareness events, charitable contributions, appearances, and volunteer service.
“The act of doing, giving and participating is a core value of our organization,” Red Wings President/CEO/COO Naomi Silver said. “Our team’s impact on our community goes well beyond what we do inside our fences during the baseball season, and we take that role to heart. It’s our outreach 365 days a year that allows us to really make a difference. In Rochester, we treasure our role in giving back in support of our community. Since 1957 when the Red Wings became incorporated as Rochester Community Baseball, we have taken the commitment to our “middle” name seriously. It is a tremendous honor to be recognized for this outside of our own community.”
“I have tremendous respect for the level of community commitment made by the individuals in the Red Wings front office,” International League President Randy Mobley said. “It is so very inspiring to see just how many different organizations and causes in the greater Rochester community that individuals in this front office touch through their volunteerism and board service. There are many reasons why this franchise has been in existence for 132 seasons, but one is certainly because the front office demonstrates its love for the community through its actions. As a result, the community continues to love the ballclub right back.”
The award will be presented at the Winter Meetings Awards Luncheon on Dec. 9 in San Diego.