Dick’s Sporting Goods donated almost $7,200 worth of sporting equipment to City Union Mission for our Presence of Love Christmas store and the Vanderberg Youth Center (VYC). The donations included: basketball, baseball, soccer, football, and softball kits. They came complete with everything needed for play.

The donations came from two area stores; one located in Leawood, Kansas and the other one in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Wow this is great! We can sure put all this equipment to good use. Our kids really need this.  Sports is one way we use to teach kids how to respect themselves and others,” says Travis Strong, Youth Ministries Administrator. “It channels their high energy in productive pursuits.  Thank you for remembering City Union Mission!”

Children, ages 6 to 18, participate each week in Bible study, organized play, crafts, drama and homework tutoring at the VYC. The VYC is part of City Union Mission’s Community Outreach program.

Lorraine Minor, Associate Executive Director of Programs & Administration said, “Every year we wonder where the gifts are going to come in from for the many families that we have qualified to shop in our Presence of Love Christmas store. This year Dick’s Sporting Goods is one of the ones to bless us, and our families for Christmas. Thank you!” If you would like information on how you can get involved with City Union Mission, please click here.

Aaron Koelzer, from Dick's Sporting Goods Corporate Relations coordinated the effort.  He said, “We have worked with City Union Mission before on one of the 5K races.  We had these items to donate and wanted to get them out to a worthy cause.  When I learned they needed these things for their Christmas store and for their Youth Center I thought it was a natural fit.  We’re glad to have helped.”

Jeffrey R. Hennion, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Dick’s Sporting Goods, explains the significance of such teamwork, "Being involved in the communities in which we do business and especially with the kids in those communities is a fundamental part of who we are as a company. Through our partnerships, we are proud to once again assist these great community events.”

About Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.
Pittsburgh-based Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel, and footwear in a specialty store environment. As of October 28, 2006, the Company operated 294 stores in 34 states primarily throughout the Eastern half of the U.S.