Category: Fundraising

11th Annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Dinner a success!

The 11th Annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Banquet was once again a tremendous success.  Keith Miller led the evening again as our MC.  Former Blue Jay and Yankee as well as MLB HR Champ Jesse Barfield talked to the crowd about his childhood and the daily adventures of being a Major League baseball player.  He spoke to the players and coaches about being a good teammates, hitting philosophies and the game within the game (pitcher vs hitter).   Several Awards and Scholarships were handed out highlighted by the Reno Lizzi Scholarships.  Barbara & Yukio Kitagawa continued to inspire the entire Jets organization as they matched all donations to Pennies for K’s to $20,000.00.

2017 marked the 2nd Annual induction into the “Wall of Excellence.” Peter & Connie Van Uden of Haven Agencies were inducted into the Wall of Excellence.

The Award winners are listed below:

  • Reno Lizzi Scholarship – Garrett Nicholson
  • Reno Lizzi Underclassman – Damiano Palmegiani & Cooper Jones
  • Coaches Award (newly named Blaine Burbank Coaches Award) – Victor Cerny
  • Sports Connection Scholarships – Conner Green & Ben Erwin
  • MacLeod Family Scholarship (trip to Japan) – Liam Vulcano & Dayton Peters

Thank you to everyone who attended, donated and sponsored the Banquet.  All donations go along way in assisting our student-athletes in Live Their Dreams.  Once a Jet….Always a Jet!

The Jets are also excited about taking our Celebration in Achievement Dinner in June to the next level with several awards and scholarships presented at the event.  Date will be announced soon.

Celebration of Achievement a tremendous success!

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Vauxhall, AB – 

The day began with a special “Ride.”  VAB Ambassador Yukio Kitagawa continued his quest to ride 100,000 km in 10 years for “Jets Baseball.”  What made June 9th, 2016 special is Yukio officially road his bike 40,075 km which is the circumference of the earth.  This feat was accomplished in only 634 cycling days and it took 2674 hours to complete the 40,075 km.  To top this off Yukio’s wife Barbara matches all pledges donated to the “Pennies for K’s fundraiser” in support of Jets baseball and after 2 years we have raised over $88,000.00.  WOW what a great way to support Jets Baseball.  Special thank you to everyone who has supported this fundraiser over the last 2 years.  We look forward to another great year in 2017.

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The evening was highlighted by our 5th Annual Celebration of Achievement.  This year marked not only a time to celebrate academic performance, community involvement but also a time to recognize 3 Award winners and the presentation of the Reno Lizzi Ring.

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Jan Tolton Memorial Scholarship – KJ Moreno

Celebration 2016

McLeod Family Scholarships – Ben Erwin & Wesley Moore

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Special thank you to Brian & Susan Van Uden and Yukio & Barbara Kitagawa for your support of the Dinner.

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10th Annual Haven Agencies Tournament Weekend!

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May Long Weekend in Canada is a long weekend for many.  In Vauxhall it is known as the Haven Agencies Tournament and for the 10th year in a row Haven Agencies and Intact Insurance are a big part of the weekend.

For the tournament schedule click here: 2016 Haven Agency Tournament – 5 team.

 

SCOTIABANK GOLF TOURNAMENT – STEAK & LOBSTER – ALUMNI SOFTBALL GAME – LIVE BAND CABARET

INTACT/HAVEN AGENCIES FREE BBQ

VAB-10-Year-Event-Schedule

10th Annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Dinner another great success!

Vauxhall, AB – 

The 10th Annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Banquet was once again a tremendous success.  Marty Baceda led the evening again as our MC.  Former Blue Jay, 3X World Series Champion, 7X Gold Glove winner Devon White talked to the crowd about dealing with adversity and the challenges that you face being an everyday big league player.  He spoke to the players and coaches about being a good teammate and chemistry.   Several Awards and Scholarships were handed out highlighted by the Reno Lizzi Scholarships.  Barbara & Yukio Kitagawa continued to inspire the entire Jets organization as they matched all donations to Pennies for K’s to $20,000.00.

2016 marked the 10th Anniversary of the Academy and lead to the 1st inductions into the “Wall of Excellence.” 3 inductions opened the Wall of Excellence with 3 great Jets.  Strength & Conditioning Coach Jeff Krushell, Alumni Steven Inch & VAB Ambassadors Yukio & Barbara Kitagawa were all inducted.  The VAB Board also surprised Coach McTavish with an induction!

Inch Induction  Krush Induction

Coach Mac InductionKitagawa's Induction

The Award winners are listed below:

Jet of the Year – Josh Burgmann

Reno Lizzi Scholarship – Brett Resch

Reno Lizzi Underclassman – Victor Cerny/=Liam Vulcano

Inch by Inch Scholarship – Carsen Perkins

Doug Stevenson Award – Jalen Lane

Wanda Stober Memorial Scholarship – Jordan Dray

Coaches Award (newly named Blaine Burbank Coaches Award) – Brandon Hatley

Sports Connection Scholarships – Jordan Malainey/Bryce Fraser

Kalvin Odland Memorial Award – KJ Moreno

Thank you to everyone who attended, donated and sponsored the Banquet.  All donations go along way in assisting our student-athletes in Live Their Dreams.  Once a Jet….Always a Jet!

The Jets are also excited about taking our Celebration in Achievement Dinner in June to the next level with several awards and scholarships presented at the event.  Date will be announced soon.

10th Annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Dinner!

Devon White

Vauxhall, AB –

The VAB is excited for the 10th annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Banquet February 27th, 2016 at the Vauxhall Community Hall (5 pm cocktails and 5:45 pm program begins).  Devon White will be our featured speaker at this years event following his 16 year career with 6 MLB teams.  Devo’s career was highlighted with 3 World Series titles, 7 Gold Gloves and 3 All-star selections.

The evening will once again be highlighted by the Reno Lizzi Scholarships as well as several other Awards and Scholarship presentations.

A silent auction, live auction and raffles will be going on throughout the evening with Marty Baceda leading the charge as our MC.

Some of the highlight auction items will be posted prior to the banquet.

Please contact Lynda Unruh at [email protected] for tickets.  Tickets cost is $60/ticket or $450/table of 8.

Merry Christmas from the Jets!

Merry Christmas

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Vauxhall, AB – 

The Vauxhall Academy of Baseball staff, student-athletes and Board of Directors would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New.  We are looking forward to the 10th season of Jets baseball and look forward to seeing you at our 10th Annual Awards & Scholarship Fundraising Dinner Saturday February 27th, 2016

Falls season kicks off with Pennies for K’s and workouts!

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Vauxhall, AB – 

The Vauxhall Academy of Baseball began season 10 with a tailgate celebration.  The event started with Yukio Kitagawa leading some Vauxhall elementary students on a bike ride followed by the launch of the 2nd Annual Pennies for K’s fundraiser for Jets baseball.  Yukio will ride his bike throughout southern Alberta from September 1st – March 31st.  For every kilometer that he rides the Academy will collect pledges with the Kitagawa’s matching the pledges.  Our goal this year is to raise $20,000 in pledges.  We are off to a great start with $3200.00 being raised on opening day.  For more information please contact Lynda Unruh at [email protected].

Following the tailgate the new and old families of the VAB began season 10 with a BBQ and opening workouts with strength & conditioning coach Jeff Krushell.

The fall schedule will be released soon on the website.  Welcome back Jets we look forward to an exciting year.

9th Annual Awards Banquet a tremendous success!

Vauxhall, AB – 

The 9th Annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Banquet was once again a tremendous success.  Marty Baceda led the evening again as our MC.  Former Blue Jay and 1998 World Series Champion Homer Bush talked about his childhood, professional baseball career, being a Jay as well as a World Series Champion Yankee and talked directly to our current Jets about work ethic and adversity.   Several Awards and Scholarships were handed out highlighted by the Reno Lizzi Scholarships.  Barbara & Yukio Kitagawa continued to inspire the entire Jets organization as they matched all donations at the Reno Lizzi table as well as Pennies for K’s to $20,000.00.   The 2015 banquet has set a new standard for years to come!!! The Award winners are listed below:

Jet of the Year – Nolan Rattai

Reno Lizzi Scholarship – Tyler Scott

Reno Lizzi Underclassman – Josh Burgmann/Carson Perkins

Inch by Inch Scholarship – Brady Moxham

Jan Tolton Memorial Scholarship – Sean Robbins

Doug Stevenson Award – Tyler Scott

Wanda Stober Memorial Scholarship – Jared Kennedy

Coaches Award (newly named Blaine Burbank Coaches Award) – Jake Cook

Sports Connection Scholarships – Geordie McDougall

Scotiabank Scholarship – Brody Burnett

Thank you to everyone who attended, donated and sponsored the Banquet.  All donations go along way in assisting our student-athletes in Live Their Dreams.  Once a Jet….Always a Jet!

9th Annual Awards/Scholarship Dinner!

Banquet Ticket

Vauxhall, AB –

The VAB is excited for the 9th annual Awards/Scholarship Fundraising Banquet February 28th, 2015 at the Vauxhall Community Hall (5 pm cocktails and 5:45 pm program begins).  Former Blue Jay/Yankee veteran Homer Bush will be the featured speaker at this years event.  Homer was traded to the Jays along with David Wells for Roger Clemens and had a couple of great seasons with Toronto before a career ending injury shortened his career.

The evening will once again be highlighted by the Reno Lizzi Scholarships as well as several other Awards and Scholarship presentations.

A silent auction, live auction and raffles will be going on throughout the evening with Marty Baceda leading the charge as our MC.

Some of the highlight auction items will be posted prior to the banquet.

Please contact Lynda Unruh at [email protected] for tickets.  Tickets cost is $60/ticket or $450/table of 8.

Join Yukio with “Pennies for K’s”

Cycling

Vauxhall, AB –  

What a true inspiration Yukio Kitagawa is.  He has taken his fitness and generosity to a new level with his goal of riding 100,000 km over the next 10 years.  To top that off his lovely wife Barbara has agreed to match all donations  made.

See below for additional details on this great fundraiser:

 

KITAGAWA’S CYCLING FUND-RAISER “PENNIES FOR K’s for JETS BASEBALL

I was extremely impressed and very proud of Clara Hughes cycling marathon from Jan. to July 1st through over 100 communities across Canada – a 12,000 kilometer Odyssey for the Mental Health Association, an accomplishment that inspired me to cycle for a cause myself, naturally it was for the Academy.  Essentially the plan is to cycle 100,000 kilometers all on the numerous cycle paths in Calgary, on the Range Roads when in Vauxhall, or on the groomed cross-country ski trails in  Kananaskis, over the next 10 years.  We will have a fund raiser each year, to coincide with the Baseball Academy season beginning September 1st and concluding March 31st .  I would like to impose on you for “pennies for kilometers”,  I will cycle every day, weather will not be an issue, as I have test-ridden through the last two winters and experienced the best and the worst of conditions – sun, rain, wind, snow, sleet and blizzards.  In that 7 month period the projected distance I plan to cover is about 5,000 kilometers.  The Goal $10,000.00 – a minimum number of 100 pledges.  The logistics are to simply fill in the fund raiser form, pledge per km. or your choice as per the form and your e-mail address.   Monthly updates will be forwarded to you by e-mail to all who sign up.   On March 31/15 Barbara will e-mail you on the total kilometers ridden and you simply remit your donation to the Academy.  Please make your cheque payable to Horizon School District in order to get a tax receipt for your donation.

Thank you for your support – Yukio and Barbara Kitagawa

Pledge Form for “Pennies for K’s”

I wish to pledge (please underline your choice)

.01 cents per kilometer ridden

.02 cents per kilometer ridden

Your choice per kilometer ridden_________________

This Amount in total ____________________

Name: _______________________________________________________________

e-mail address ______________________________________

Donation amount $___________________

Signature __________________________________________

In the event that your pledge sheet is not picked up by one of the VAB family or players, you can scan it and send it to Barbara Kitagawa @ [email protected]  Thank you for participating in this Fund Raiser “Kitagawa cycling pennies for k’s for Jets Baseball