Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League Players Collect One Ton of Food for Manna Food Center

On Saturday June 21, Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League players, staff, and interns collected 2,267 pounds of food for the Manna Food Center to support our neighbors in need. Players from the Bethesda Big Train, Gaithersburg Giants, Olney Cropdusters, and Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts collected food at nine different stores across Montgomery County in our annual Feed the Hungry food drive. Since 2010, Ripken League teams have collected nearly 25 tons of food for the Manna Food Center.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” said Ripken League founder Bruce Adams. “They come to Montgomery County from across the country, and they just spent two hours of their time on a Saturday morning to help people in need despite the fact that all four teams have games at 4 p.m. in 90 degree plus heat and humidity. We appreciate their service to our community.” 

Adams explained that the annual Ripken League food drive is especially important for the Manna Food Center. “Many food drives take place during the holidays each fall and winter from Thanksgiving to Martin Luther King Jr. Day,” Adams said. “But people are hungry all year round. The food we collect each summer helps fill the shelves at Manna so they can continue their essential service to the community throughout the year."

To help the Manna Food Center, go to: www.mannafood.org.

Bethesda Big Train collected 1,145 pounds of food at four stores.

Gaithersburg Giants collected 511 pounds of food at three stores.

Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts collected 345 pounds of food at one store.

Olney Cropdusters collected 266 pounds of food at one store.

Big Train Players, Staff and Interns that helped in the Manna Food Drive: 

Drew Bellis (UCF), John Martinez (FAU), Emilio Gonzalez (FAU), Brennan Wright (U. of S. Ala.), Michael Kass (UCF), Kide Adetuyi (FAU), Tanner Kaler (UNC), and Jake Titus (KCKCC). 

DiMisa Fellows Cayla Berger, Ben Levy, and Sorrell Becker.

Veeck and Kurkjian Fellows Eliza Boniface, Maddie Kelberg, and Jackson Corcoran.

Big Train Staff Ellie Hilton and Ingrid Pagan.