Mankato, MN – As the Northwoods League season is in full swing the Mankato MoonDogs are gearing up for the LEEP Legends: The Dugout Duel, which will be held at Franklin Rogers Park on Wednesday July 15, 2015. The event is a celebrity softball fundraiser, involving over 20 of the area’s well known community members. Celebrities have been chosen by the event committee based on their passion for sports and recreation, as well as their contributions to the Mankato area in business, nonprofit work, and volunteering.
Leisure Education for Exceptional People (LEEP) is holding the event to raise funds for recreation and sports programming for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Mankato area. LEEP has teamed up with the Mankato MoonDogs to host this first ever event.
The Mankato MoonDogs have signed on as the presenting sponsor and is hosting the event on their playing field. LEEP Legends Chairperson and MoonDogs General Manager Greg Weis brought the idea to LEEP after volunteering on a Special Olympics team this past winter.
“I had such a great experience being a Unified Partner last basketball season that I wanted to find a way to partner with LEEP and support them as an organization. The MoonDogs love giving back to the community and this is a unique and fun way for us to do that,” Said Weis.
20 local celebrities will be a part of the event including Mankato Mayor Eric Anderson, Brian Sowers, the Vice President of US Bank and Art Westphal, Bethany Lutheran College Athletic Hall of Fame member and current Vice President of Institutional Advancement at BLC.
The event is not only a softball game. Gates will open at 5:30pm with a live band and vendors who will be tailgating and providing games and giveaways to attendees. Regular MoonDog concessions will be available throughout the event.
Tickets can be purchased on the LEEP website at www.mankatoleep.org/LEEPLegends. Tickets can also be purchased at the LEEP and Mankato MoonDogs offices. Tickets are $25 for a celebrity cheer zone, or $15 general admission.
For more information on the event, or to reserve press passes, contact Cate DeBates at outreach@mankatoleep.org or call the LEEP office at 507-387-5122.
“The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website