This summer, more than 100 current and former Black professional baseball players came together in the wake of social injustices to form The Players Alliance, a non-profit organization to create an inclusive culture within baseball and the community.

Recently, the Players Alliance partnered with Pull Up Neighbor, a Black-owned community response team, to provide direct support to communities in need. The “Pull Up Neighbor Tour” is a two-month, cross-country mobile tour to aid communities of color in a safe, socially distant and responsible way. At each stop, the tour offers baseball gear and equipment to Black youth, a pop-up pantry in conjunction with local food banks, COVID resources like face masks and hand sanitizer, and special gifts from MLB and the local clubs.

Members of the Tigers organization joined the tour for its stops in Flint and Detroit.  They included vice president of baseball operations and general manager Al Avila, pitching coach Chris Fetter, and current players John Schreiber and Werner Blakely, Jr.  All met directly with community members and helped distribute necessary aid.

“The efforts being made by The Players Alliance is inspiring, especially around the holidays,” Avila said. “As an organization, we’re proud of our players, both past and present, who are actively involved. It’s important we support their goodwill and it speaks volumes of the character of the players who are uplifting lives in the black communities. The commitment they have made is impressive — to travel across the country with this tour, especially during the pandemic — all to supply meals, PPE and baseball equipment in Detroit and Flint is wonderful. The Players Alliance is making a lasting impact.”

The tour was funded by a group of Players Alliance members who donated their game-day salaries to the organization. This amount was matched by MLB, allowing The Players Alliance to expand their reach to the communities most in need.  Over the past 5 years, the MLB Players that make up The Players Alliance have collectively donated more than $40M to support Black communities across the country.

“I am so proud of the young Black baseball players that formed The Players Alliance,” Willie Horton, Detroit Tigers legend, said.  “I stand alongside The Alliance in its investment in Black communities beyond baseball, and applaud its founders and members — including current and former Tigers players — for working to provide opportunities at every level of the game, and to combat racial prejudice in the places we live and play.”

Learn more about The Players Alliance and Pull Up Neighbor at ThePlayersAlliance.com andPullUpNeighbor.com.

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Detroit-based journalist, author and broadcaster Mitch Albom formed SAY Detroit in 2006 with a commitment to working in the city’s neighborhoods, providing opportunities and uplifting those in need. Albom created the SAY Detroit Radiothon in 2012 to help raise money for many organizations in need of aid.

Since its first broadcast, the annual SAY Detroit Radiothons have raised more than $7 million to help the poor, the homeless, families without homes, children without medical care, students hoping to reach the college of their dreams and veterans who have hit hard times.

In support of the Radiothon’s goal to help raise funds for vital community organizations throughout metro Detroit, Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman, Tigers manager AJ Hinch and Ilitch Holdings president and CEO Chris Ilitch appeared remotely during SAY Detroit’s Ninth Annual Radiothon. The Ilitch organization also donated funds, autographed memorabilia and exclusive player virtual meet and greet opportunities.

The Ilitch organization has been proud to partner with SAY Detroit in various ways over the years, beginning with the 2006 creation of Bright Beginnings, a free day-care program for infants and toddlers. Aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness while providing quality education to its students, Bright Beginnings is designed to keep children happy and safe while preparing them for a bright future with the priceless gift of education.

Earlier this year, Detroit Tigers players stopped by the SAY Detroit Play Center, an after-school facility, to record a modern take on “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with Detroit students.

For more information, or to learn how you can help, visit SAYDetroit.org.

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Magic of Lights brightens up the night for the holiday season — part of a new type of outdoor entertainment options offered by 313 Presents. Building on the incredible excitement of this summer’s outdoor show, Jurassic Quest, this new, safe and exciting show runs nightly at DTE Energy Music Theatre through Jan. 2.

The show offers a spectacular 1.5-mile drive through holiday lights, featuring holiday-themed vignettes brought to life through the latest LED technology and digital animations. Themes include the all new drive-through Blizzard Tunnel, as well as the 12 Days of Christmas, Winter Wonderland and The Night Before Christmas.

“Following the outstanding response of over 125,000 guests to this summer’s Jurassic Quest at DTE Energy Music Theatre, 313 Presents is excited to offer the festive Magic of Lights holiday drive-through experience to spread joy and holiday cheer to our community in a safe and engaging way,” said Howard Handler, president of 313 Presents.

Tickets are available at 313Presents.com and MagicofLights.com. On-site ticket sales are accommodated Sundays through Thursdays. Advanced ticket sales are available for all days and, due to the popularity of weekend event times, are required for Fridays and Saturdays.

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Acentury after it first opened, two women are helping lead the revitalization of Detroit’s former Eddystone Hotel:  Meredith McLellan, project manager for Olympia Development of Michigan and Jennifer Elmore, director of architecture for Kraemer Design Group.  

In concert with metro-Detroit-based O’Brien Construction, McLellan and Elmore have helped complete restoration of the building’s exterior, featuring rusticated limestone, age-old brickwork and stunning terracotta details.

“We have been able to restore, repair or replicate the original features of this fantastic building to their former glory,” said Elmore. “With the exterior restoration now complete, the building looks absolutely beautiful.”

Once completed, the Eddystone will feature 92 market-rate and affordable residential units. “We have a great group of experts on board and we’re making progress as we march towards projected completion in late 2021,” said McLellan.

For more information about the Eddystone’s restoration and Olympia Development’s work across The District Detroit, click here.

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What’s better than a calendar featuring the Detroit Red Wings? A calendar with photos of the players and their furry friends. Arriving just in time for the holiday shopping season, the 2021 Pucks for Paws Calendar, presented by PetSmart, is on sale now for $20.

Calendar proceeds benefit PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, and the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, which provides opportunity and access to hockey for thousands of children in Detroit.

The fun calendar pairs Red Wings players with their own four-legged friends and adoptable pets from Michigan Humane.

Longtime Pucks for Paws fans will recognize such favorites as Tyler Bertuzzi’s dog, Aspen; Luke Glendening’s dog, Lucy; Ken Daniels’ dog, Jack; and more.

Purchasers can also buy exclusive Pucks for Paws merchandise, including a limited number of Red Wings-branded leashes and pet bandanas.

Visit DetroitRedWings.com/PucksForPaws to purchase a calendar while supplies last.

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For 35 years, Detroit Tigers outfield instructor Gene Roof dedicated himself to developing the young players that would wear the Olde English D.

“We’ve been fortunate to have had Gene Roof with our organization for over three decades, and personally, I’ve appreciated and enjoyed working with him for 19 years,” Al Avila, Detroit Tigers executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager, said. “Gene comes from a wonderful baseball family who have dedicated their lives to coaching and teaching players. Gene’s commitment at both the major and minor league level is a testament to his passion for the game, and he has positively impacted the development of countless Tigers players. I can tell you from ownership on down, we appreciated his devotion to making our players better. We wish he and his wife, Marianne, nothing but the best in retirement.”

Roof, one of five brothers who played professionally, has been involved in baseball since age 18. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1976, where he played for three seasons and earned a ring from the 1982 World Series.

Roof’s playing career ended within the Tigers farm system in 1987. He was invited to coach the Double-A Nashville team – then affiliated with the Tigers. He would remain with the organization for the rest of his career.

“Gene-O was a joy to be around,” Dave Owen, Detroit Tigers director of player development, said. “He’s one of the truest baseball guys you’ll ever meet. No ego – just a genuine, nice man who cared so much for the players. You could tell the respect was mutual with the guys he worked with. You don’t have a 35-year career without understanding the players and adjusting the way you coach. The players always responded to him. He was one of them. They knew that he wasn’t just talk. He walked in their shoes. He not only connected with them on a baseball level, but on a personal level.”

The list of players whom Roof has coached is any baseball fan’s dream, and includes legends like Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson. He also helped spur the development of countless Tigers, and three years ago, helped Nick Castellanos transition from third base to outfield.

Careers that span decades can be hard to summarize, but Roof does so with ease: “I never had a bad day wearing the Olde English D,” he said.

The Tigers plan to honor Roof for his outstanding career before a home game during the 2021 season.

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With revitalization of Detroit’s historic former Women’s City Club building underway by Olympia Development of Michigan, hand-crafted details are being brought back to life to this 1924 Arts and Crafts-style building.

Follow Conn Allison, owner of Michigan-based Looking Glass Studios, in the video below, as he discusses the restoration of the building’s signature textured glass window.

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Olympia Development of Michigan, the City of Detroit and Cinnaire Solutions jointly announced today a partnership created to explore new affordable housing options in The District Detroit. Brought together by their shared goal of community-minded development, this public-private collaboration will work to address the need for increased affordable housing in Detroit.

“We are optimistic and excited for Detroit’s future and are planning community-minded development that will help to meet the city’s housing needs while bringing new and vibrant opportunities to The District Detroit,” said Keith Bradford, Vice President of Olympia Development of Michigan. “Cinnaire Solutions is a trusted partner with the resources to advance vulnerable communities, and we are pleased to partner with them to move this important work forward with the city.”

Any redevelopment option which may move forward through this partnership would include the commitment to retain and provide rent protections for the existing residents, at or very near their current rental rates. During the proposed renovation of the Henry Street apartments, those residents would be temporarily relocated on the same block for the duration of construction.

The partnership’s first effort will be to explore the potential revitalization of seven, 1920s-era historic buildings on a single city block bounded by Henry Street, Cass Avenue, 2^nd Street, and the I-75 service drive.  With public support, the proposed redevelopment will help to energize the local economy and support the City of Detroit’s neighborhood revitalization strategy, while providing green spaces and the creation of construction and permanent jobs for Detroiters.

“This partnership embodies what we are looking for from our community-minded developers because it would preserve the affordable rent levels for all current tenants in newly renovated buildings,” said Donald Rencher, Director of Housing and Revitalization at City of Detroit. “I’d like to recognize Cinnaire Solutions and Olympia Development of Michigan for working with us toward our mutual goal of bringing more affordable housing and historic renovation to this community.”

“Cinnaire is committed to make meaningful impact in Detroit neighborhoods,” said Christopher Laurent, Cinnaire Solutions president. Cinnaire Solutions is the development subsidiary of Cinnaire, a Lansing-based Community Development Financial Institution. “For over a decade, we have worked to support, energize and revitalize healthy neighborhoods here. Our parent organization, Cinnaire, has done so for nearly 27 years. Likewise, Olympia Development has made a commitment to increasing the city’s affordable housing supply and continuing to support the local economy. This partnership will bring together our respective expertise and resources to further enhance this resilient city, making downtown accessible to all Detroiters”

Cinnaire has invested more than $500 million in revitalizing the city over the past 27 years. Cinnaire Solutions recent Detroit developments include RiverCrest, 3530 Grand River, Transfiguration School, The Anchor at Mariner’s Inn and La Joya Gardens.

Olympia Development remains committed to steady and balanced development in the City of Detroit and has made significant progress on multiple historic renovation projects including the former Eddystone hotel, the former Women’s City Club and the former United Artists Building in partnership with Bagley Development Group. In addition, tremendous progress continues on new construction such as 2715 Woodward.  Completed projects include The Mike Ilitch School of Business, Little Caesars Arena and the new Little Caesars headquarters campus expansion. In addition to increasing the City’s affordable housing supply, these efforts also continue to bring new jobs and opportunity to the City and The District Detroit.

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Each year, Americans pause on Veterans Day to reflect on the sacrifices of the brave men and women in the military. And daily, our local veterans’ organizations work tirelessly to enhance the lives of those who have supported us all. The Detroit Tigers Foundation recently assisted two Detroit veterans’ organizations: the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and the Michigan Veterans Foundation.

“It never ceases to amaze me how much the people of Detroit care about Veterans,” Bill Browning, chief of volunteer and community relations for the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, said. “The pandemic has challenged us all. Yet, there are so many people willing to share their time and energy to make it better for others.”

The donation from the Tigers filled a year-end gap in services with the veteran food distribution program at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, funding the program for the remainder of 2020, and providing 200 food boxes monthly for veterans. Each box contains more than 30 pounds of shelf-stable foods. The donation was made possible through partnership with the Gleaners Community Food Bank, which provides area households with access to sufficient, nutritious food and related resources.

In addition, the Tigers donated nearly $3,000 to provide 450 gloves to the Michigan Veterans Foundation, a nonprofit that offers transitional housing facility and resources for homeless veterans. This donation was made possible through partnership with Mittens for Detroit, a nonprofit with the purpose of collecting, purchasing and distributing new mittens and gloves to area children, teens and adults in need.

“We’re so excited to have Mittens for Detroit with the Detroit Tigers team here to help us support our veterans and keep their hands warm this winter,” Raeda Dabaja, CEO of Michigan Veterans Foundation, said. “We have a good relationship with the Tigers. Every year they participate with us, send us tickets and invite veterans to Armed Forces and Veteran Recognition Day.”

The Tigers proudly give back to those who serve through a variety of programs each year. Previously, the organization offered thousands of complimentary and discounted tickets to active members and veterans. On select days during the regular season, recently returned members of the Armed Forces deliver the game ball to the pitcher’s mound in front of the crowd at Comerica Park as a symbol of appreciation. The Tigers also hosted Armed Forces and Veteran Recognition Day at Comerica Park, providing unique experiences for active service members, veterans and their families.

Learn more about the Tigers work in the community at Tigers.com/Community.

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