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Major Leaguers bestow $100,000 grant from the Players Trust to Our Military Kids

Players provide funds to nonprofit whose mission is to help children of military personnel

New York, NY, Thursday, June 30, 2016 – The Major League Baseball Players Trust today
announced it has awarded a $100,000 grant to the nonprofit Our Military Kids, to assist with the
organization’s efforts to provide the children of military personnel with opportunities to fulfill
their dreams and aspirations.

The Players Trust grant is being provided to Our Military Kids in honor of the game between the
Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves at Ft. Bragg (NC), this Sunday, July 3, 2016 – the game
marks the first-ever professional sporting event to be played on a military base.  A ceremonial
check presentation will take place between the MLBPA and Our Military Kids prior to the
game’s first pitch.

“All Players hold a special place in their hearts for our country’s service members, veterans and
their children,” said Players Trust Director, Melissa Persaud.  “The Players are honored to be in
the position to help support the efforts of Our Military Kids, and to recognize the organization’s
commitment to help the children of military personnel during a week when the baseball world
shifts its attention to Ft. Bragg and the historic game between the Marlins and Braves.”

“We are thrilled that the Major League Baseball Players Trust is joining Our Military Kids in
supporting our troop’s most precious assets – their children,” said Our Military Kids Executive
Director, Linda Davidson.  “It is significant that this historic game and the presentation of this
gift are taking place over the July 4th weekend.  It serves as a reminder that we all have an
obligation to support our military families while they selflessly serve to protect our freedoms.”

McLean, VA-based Our Military Kids provides tangible support to the children of deployed
National Guard and Military Reserves, and children of all severely injured personnel through
grants for sports, fine arts and tutoring that nurture and sustain the children during the time a
parent is away in service to our country or recovering from combat related injuries. Since 2005,
Our Military Kids has provided more than 54,000 grants to keep military children engaged in
activities of their choosing, helping to relieve the stress of separation from a parent by providing
a positive distraction, minimizing emotional destabilization, building self-esteem, and enabling
academic achievement.  To learn more about Our Military Kids and join in this effort, visit

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Parents are heroes in their children’s eyes, especially in military families like Ashton and Braxton’s.  Children of an Army Reserves parent, they have always looked up to their father. During his first deployment, Braxton followed his father’s footsteps and started running track. “Their father, Trent, ran track in high school but we had no idea that there was even a place for little kids to run track,” explained Wanda, Ashton and Braxton’s mother and 55th COSC Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Trent Brann’s wife. Ashton followed his older brother to practice and wanted to participate right away. So when he turned 4, Wanda turned to Our Military Kids, and put Ashton in track.

Braxton was 7 and Ashton was 4 –the youngest member of the team- when they began running track. They trained with Ann Arbor Track Club three days a week for 1.5 hours each time from April-August which is outdoor track season. The season ended with the boys running at the AAU Junior Olympics, where Braxton placed 5th for his 400 meter, 3rd in his 100 meter and 2nd in his 200 meter. Wanda was excited to share her son’s passion, “From day one, Braxton fell in love with track and has been dedicated ever since.”

“About Ashton’s second practice the kids were doing something the coaches call Frog Jumps when they need to jump up onto a block but the coach told Ashton he was too little to do a Frog Jump since he was just a tadpole.  Ashton and all the kids thought that was so cute and funny that it became his Nickname and still is,” declared Wanda.

“we were at our Yellow Ribbon program before their dad was being deployed when they told us all about Our Military Kids and explained the grants.  When we got home we applied for the grant right away to pay their membership and purchase their uniform packages.  Our Military Kids was truly a blessing when our family needed it.”

Wanda shared how they learned about Our Military kids and her gratitude, “we were at our Yellow Ribbon program before their dad was being deployed when they told us all about Our Military Kids and explained the grants.  When we got home we applied for the grant right away to pay their membership and purchase their uniform packages.  Our Military Kids was truly a blessing when our family needed it.”

The first week of August, Braxton and Ashton competed in the Junior Olympics; Braxton ran the 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter, Ashton threw the turbo javelin (little kid javelin).

Ashton and Braxton plan to continue track, even after their father’s deployment ends. The grants made it possible for the boys to find a new passion and a family in track. Although track is not a conventional team sport, the boys have made the best of friends.

Without the grant from Our Military Kids, Braxton and Ashton would not have been able to participate during Trent’s deployment. Track gave both children something positive and healthy to focus on during the deployment. We wish them all the luck moving forward!

Our Military Kids is scheduled to soon receive a very generous contribution from the Major League Baseball Players Trust, the charitable organization created and administered by active Major League baseball players.  One of the primary funding areas of Our Military Kids grants for military children is sports,  which provide children an opportunity to fulfill their dreams and aspirations by participating as team members with their peers.  We are thrilled that the Major League Baseball Players Trust has identified  Our Military Kids to recognize with a grant for $100,000.  A ceremonial check presentation will take place before the historic game to be played between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins on Sunday, July 3.

The game will be historic because it will be the first professional sporting event played on a U.S. Military Installation. The game will take place at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in a temporary 12,500-seat stadium erected by the Major League Baseball Players Association and MLB just for this occasion.  The Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins will play a salute-the-troops game, bringing Major League baseball to Fort Bragg. After the game, the site will be converted into softball and multipurpose recreational fields for those on the base.

MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark said: “As the son of a Navy officer, I am extremely proud to stand with all Players and Major League Baseball as we honor our nation’s military and our country, through the playing of a regular season game in historic Fort Bragg on Fourth of July weekend.  Many players are the grandsons, sons and brothers of men and women whom have served or continue to serve our country.  This one-of-a-kind ballpark construction project provides us with an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to all who serve to protect our great nation.”

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said that this will be “a unique event that will benefit the men and women of Fort Bragg and their families for many years.”  Marlins manager Don Mattingly said the game is a chance to honor the soldiers on the base.  Mattingly said, “There are a lot of heroes there.  Some of those guys have paid a heavy price.”  Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski said, “To play in front of the troops, that’s kind of what you do this for.  Because those guys are the real heroes.  What they do protecting us and defending our way of life every day is pretty amazing.”  The game will be televised nationally by ESPN at 8 p.m. (EST) as part of its Sunday Night Baseball schedule.

Major League Baseball Players Association has invited an Our Military Kids grant recipient family to be their guests at the game.  The Trautman family is comprised of the eight children of dad LTC Carl Trautman, who has recently returned from his National Guard deployment in Afghanistan, and mom Kimberly.  Thank you MLBPA and players for your heartwarming recognition of this military family at this historic event and Major League Baseball Players Trust for making it possible for many military children to participate in a sport of their choice!!!