For more than 60 years, innovation, entrepreneurship and resolve have been foundational pillars of the Ilitch organization — one that has long prided itself on its ability to swiftly adapt to meet the evolving needs of customers, local communities and employees.

Seeing a significant need for a reliable supply of protective face masks to help ensure health and safety, the Ilitch companies mobilized to set up a mask manufacturing facility and are training a core group of current employees on production. With an estimated output of 60,000 masks per day, the facility will soon supply masks to employees, franchisees, customers, fans and guests. These crucial masks will also be donated to community groups and organizations that need them.

In addition to mask production, the organization will continue to explore the evolving needs and demands of today’s changing marketplace. Dedicated teams will continue to actively research and ideate, with a focus on developing products and services that enhance safety, well-being and the consumer experience.

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Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera and his wife, Rosangel, have personally partnered with the Detroit Tigers Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities, to donate $250,000 to several distinguished organizations in Detroit that serve families and children.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District will receive $50,000 to aid in meal distribution to students and families. The Detroit Public Schools Foundation will also receive $50,000, which will go to the Connected Future initiative to help bridge the digital divide by providing tablets, six months of sponsored internet and IT support for all 51,000 DPSCD students.

“We partnered with the Detroit Tigers Foundation to make a donation that will assist with meals for children, technology for students, affordable childcare, and protective face masks for families,” noted Cabrera. “The people of Detroit have been so great to us over the years and we hope this brings some hope and positivity to this very strong city. We will get through this together.”

Their generosity will also extend to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) and Brilliant Detroit, receiving $140,000 to support their collaboration to provide affordable childcare for families.

The remaining $10,000 of the donation will support a philanthropic collaboration organized by G1 Impact to hire Detroiters to manufacture 100,000 reusable, hospital-grade masks for children and families in the community.

For more information on the Detroit Tigers Foundation, visit www.detroittigersfoundation.com.

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First 1,000 fans will get to pull up a chair and interact with Hall of Famers Alan Trammell and Jack Morris and Manager Ron Gardenhire

The Detroit Tigers and longtime partner, Miller Lite, are hosting their first virtual happy hour. The event will kick off Tuesday, May 19 at 5 p.m. EST. The first 1,000 fans to join the Zoom chat will have the opportunity to pull up a chair and ask questions to Tigers personnel and alumni greats through the Zoom chat function.  

The Miller Lite Happy Hour will be hosted by FOX Sports Detroit Tigers play-by-play announcer, Matt Shepard. Guests include Hall of Famers Alan Trammell and Jack Morris, and Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire.

The Zoom link will be released on the Tigers Twitter (@tigers) Tuesday, May 19, at 5 p.m. EST. The first 1,000 fans to click and register will be admitted into the event.

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Construction work is restarting on Olympia Development of Michigan’s prominent projects in The District Detroit – bringing jobs and opportunity to the city and continuing progress near Little Caesars Arena.

Construction managers and subcontractors are now implementing additional safety practices to keep the public and construction workers safer from the spread of COVID-19.

Jobsites across the state were allowed to reopen on May 7 under new safety standards. Olympia Development sites include the former Eddystone Hotel at 110 Sproat Street and a multi-use office building at 2715 Woodward Avenue.

Measures put in place on all construction jobsites include, among others:

• Daily health screenings
• Mask-wearing
• Installation of additional handwashing and sanitation stations
• Social distancing
• Dedicated jobsite entry points
• Designation of a supervisor to enforce COVID-19 safety

Renovation of the historic former Eddystone hotel includes new affordable and market-rate housing and 2715 Woodward brings new office and retail space to Detroit’s main street.

Construction is also expected to begin again soon at the Columbia Street shopping and dining destination near the Fox Theatre. A new Union Joints restaurant and Sahara Restaurant and Grill will join recently opened businesses like Frita Batidos, Rush Bowls and The M Den.

For more information of safety practices on construction jobsites across Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

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This year, National Nurses Week, established by the American Nurses Association in 1990, holds a special significance as we honor the dedication of health care workers in the global fight against COVID-19. In appreciation of their remarkable strength and commitment, Little Caesars is donating and delivering thousands of pizzas to healthcare workers at Los Angeles area hospitals. The donations kicked off at Keck Hospital of USC and will continue to other area hospitals throughout National Nurses Week.

“Little Caesars wants to recognize the incredible contributions that nurses and other front-line medical heroes make to our communities every day,” said President and CEO of Little Caesars, Dave Scrivano. “They’re working around the clock to keep us safe and healthy, and we want to give them the opportunity to take a break and enjoy a wholesome meal.”

This effort is part of the chain’s commitment to donating and delivering 1 million pizzas to hospital workers and first responders nationwide, which is made possible by Little Caesars, its thousands of independent hard-working franchisees and their locally owned stores, and Ilitch Charities, a non-profit whose goal is to positively impact lives and empower communities.

To help deliver the pizzas throughout the Los Angeles area, the Little Caesars Love Kitchen, a big-rig pizza kitchen on wheels, will travel from the chain’s hometown of Detroit to Los Angeles.

Customers can join the effort and “Pie It Forward” by donating a pizza to their nearby hospitals, police and fire departments when ordering from the Little Caesars app or website. To date, more than 170,000 pizzas have been generously donated by Little Caesars customers.

To learn more about the American Nurses Association and how you can help, visit NationalNursesWeek.org.

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Olympia Development of Michigan will restart construction operations next week at all active sites, consistent with the company’s continued commitment to create jobs, enhance opportunity and build neighborhoods. That work includes the historic former Eddystone hotel, which brings affordable and market-rate housing to the city, and 2715 Woodward, which brings new retail and office space.

“We have been working every day, along with our construction and development partners, to ensure that our job-creating development is moving forward and that we would be ready to resume on-site construction activity as soon as possible,” said Zarah Broglin, Vice President of Construction for Olympia Development. “These historic renovation and new construction projects represent permanent jobs, business opportunities and contribute to dynamic, welcoming neighborhoods in The District Detroit, and all of us at Olympia Development are thrilled to restart construction activities.”

Olympia Development construction managers have been working diligently and each will have a site-specific safety plan that aligns with the new safety guidelines, including:

• Designating a site supervisor to enforce COVID-19 control strategies.
• Conducting daily health screenings for workers.
• Creating dedicated entry points, if possible, or issuing stickers or other indicators to ensure that all workers are screened every day.
• Identifying choke points and high-risk areas (like hallways, hoists and elevators, break areas, water stations, and buses) and controlling them to enable social distancing.
• Ensuring sufficient handwashing or hand-sanitizing stations at the worksite.

Construction activity is also expected to resume at the new Columbia Street dining and retail destination, where future tenants like the new Union Joints restaurant and Sahara Restaurant and Grill will join recently opened businesses like Frita Batidos, Rush Bowls and The M Den.

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Little Caesars customers nationwide have gone above and beyond in giving back to those who keep us safe. Through the Little Caesars app, or by ordering on LittleCaesars.com, generous customers have donated nearly 140,000 additional pizzas — and counting — toward Little Caesars #PieItForward campaign.

Little Caesars recently announced a 1 million pizza donation to healthcare workers and first responders made possible by the brand, its thousands of independent franchisees and Ilitch Charities. Since then, customers have donated pizza to their local healthcare workers and first responders through the Little Caesars app or website.

“As a family company, we wanted to thank our healthcare heroes in the best way we know how – by delivering millions of wholesome meals to them around the country,” says President and CEO of Little Caesars, Dave Scrivano. “The fact that so many of our customers have jumped on board to contribute even more shows that the spirit of kindness and generosity is alive and well, even during times of crisis.”

Customer contributions will go toward pizza servings at hospitals, police departments and fire departments around the nation over the coming weeks.

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Major League Baseball announced this week that clubs can decide their own ticket refund policies for games not played due to the pandemic. The Detroit Tigers are offering a progressively fan-friendly policy, plus a unique way to honor first responders, front-line health care employees and other Detroit community organizations.

Those who held tickets for Tigers home games in April and May will have two options:

• Fans can receive a full refund for cancelled April and May games, or

• Fans can choose to leave funds on account that can be applied toward future games, upgrades, additional tickets, suite products, or unique behind-the-scenes experiences including: throwing out the first pitch, delivering the pregame lineup card, experiencing the batting cage, viewing fireworks from the dugout, becoming an honorary grounds crew member, watching the game from the press box and meeting our broadcasters, and much more.

Fans who choose to leave funds on their account will also be rewarded a 30 percent bonus credit, generally believed to be among the highest offered by any MLB club. Every ticket purchaser will be receiving an email from the Tigers with these options.

“We all miss baseball, and we recognize that these are challenging times,” said Chris Granger, Group President, Sports and Entertainment, Ilitch Holdings. “We truly appreciate our fans’ loyalty and wanted to raise the bar in providing them with the flexibility and peace of mind they deserve.”

In addition, season ticket holders who opt to leave money on their account will be eligible to participate in a new community goodwill program, Gift the Game. As part of this program, the Detroit Tigers will donate 25 tickets in the season ticket holder’s name to celebrate local heroes and non-profits.

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While the MLB season remains on hold, the game is still very much on the minds of fans. Detroit Tigers Manager Ron Gardenhire is a true and lifelong baseball man — both at home and on the field. For those wondering what a full day in the life of the Tigers skipper looks like, a video crew went behind the scenes to provide an inside and exclusive glimpse with this cathartic baseball escape:

The son of a U.S. soldier, Gardenhire was born in Germany and raised in Oklahoma. He took to baseball at a young age, playing in the informal summer youth games.

After attending University of Texas at Austin, he was drafted by the New York Mets, where he played for five seasons. Gardenhire finished his playing career for the Minnesota Twins, and after retirement, began his storied managerial career in the Twins’ farm system. He would go on to manage the Minnesota Twins for 12 years, winning the American League Manager of the Year Award in 2010.

Hired by the Detroit Tigers ahead of the 2018 season, Gardenhire brings both enthusiasm and experience to the position and works closely with Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Al Avila.

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