Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.- The Rafters, in partnership with the Northwoods League, will be awarding one local softball team with more than $2,000 of Rawlings equipment, thanks to the Share the Glove grant. This year, the Northwoods League Foundation will be awarding more than $50,000 in youth baseball and softball equipment throughout the 22 Northwoods League markets this Spring. Each grant will include one set of catcher’s gear (plus mitt), ten fielding gloves, eight batting helmets, six bats, and one bucket of practice balls.

From the applications collected, the Northwoods League Foundation will select one (1) recipient in each community. Organizations must meet the applicable criteria, which includes compliance with IRS 501(c)(3) guidelines.

The Northwoods League Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that serves as a vehicle to transform a shared passion for baseball into positive change and support for communities. The Mission of the Northwoods League Foundation is to utilize the game of baseball to enrich the quality of life for children and families with an enduring and caring focus on Northwoods League communities.

“Hopefully, all of us can fondly reflect about a time in our childhood playing ball and how fun it was, never fully realizing at the time how much it also positively shaped our character,” said Northwoods League Foundation Secretary Gary Hoover. “The Northwoods League Foundation’s Share the Glove initiative directly speaks to making those same memories for the children in the communities where the Northwoods League plays. It is a joy to make these grants possible.”

This season marks year three of the Share the Glove grant. Wisconsin Rapids Youth Sports Association’s softball program received the grant in 2018 and Nekoosa Youth Athletics baseball program received the grant in 2019. Teams can sign up HERE! Registration will end on Friday, April 10^th.

The Rafters Home Opener is slated for 6:05pm on Wednesday, May 27^th against the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. For more information on the different ticket packages visit Raftersbaseball.com, call the Rafthouse at 715-424-5400, or visit Historic Witter Field. The Rafthouse is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday at Witter Field, 521 Lincoln Street in Wisconsin Rapids.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26^th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.