There are times in our lives where we must look outside our own surroundings to something much larger.
If you have seen, heard or watched any news over the past few weeks, it has been one of the biggest stories in the nation. I am speaking of the wildfires that are engulfing the lower portion of California.
As of this writing, the wildfires have killed at least 24 people and have burned over 40,000 acres in the Greater Los Angeles area, destroying communities and over 12,500 structures.
Amongst the devastation that is continuing in Southern California, celebrities, foundations, businesses and sports organizations have banded together to provide aid and various other needs for the victims and evacuees.
In the face of destruction, 12 Los Angeles sports franchises — Angel City FC, Angels, Chargers, Clippers, Dodgers, Ducks, Galaxy, Kings, LAFC, Lakers, Rams and Sparks — have pledged to donate more than $8 million in support of victims and those helping to fight the fires.
Here in the Baltimore community, Metro Baltimore, a music venue on North Charles Street, has risen to the occasion, collecting bottled water, socks, tarps, first aid kits and medical and respirator masks. The venue will send the high priority shipment to the Carhartt Facility in California.
“We’re 3,000 miles away, but having a connection to stuff, you want to help anyone that’s in trouble, no matter where it is,” Patrick Martin, co-owner of Metro Baltimore, explained.
The Metro Baltimore venue will be accepting donations on Tuesday, January 14, from noon to 6 p.m. EST and on Wednesday, January 15, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST.
The LA sports franchises are also launching an ‘LA Strong’ custom logo and apparel line to raise money for organizations helping those who have been impacted by the wildfires. With the help of Fanatics, the merchandise will be available on all of the LA team websites, Fanatics.com and league stores.
Fanatics and the sports organizations, who will be rolling out hoodies in a couple of weeks, will donate all proceeds to the American Red Cross and the Los Angeles Fire Foundation.
“What’s happening is absolutely gut-wrenching, and it’s our duty to use our platform in any way we can,” said Fanatics founder Michael Rubin in a statement.
The leagues involved span Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the National Women’s Soccer League and the TMRW Golf League.
If you are interested in helping or donating, please contact your local Red Cross or one of the above sports leagues. There are numerous foundations that are open and accepting donations in both monetary and material items.
We send our prayers, our thoughts and well wishes to our California brethren who are experiencing a disaster of epic proportions. We will continue to pray and do what we can to assist, help and/or aid to the best of our ability as Southern California continues to fight and recover from the devastation.
What are your thoughts on the efforts of sports leagues and health organizations? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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