Big League BLUE Reach
presented by

Photo/BLUE for Kids

(L-R) Mark Wegner, Michelle Wegner, Raymond, Cynthia Tornero, Keith McGunnigle, and Bill Charles.

The Event
Big League BLUE Reach captured the spirit of the Build-A-Bear Workshop® in-store experience and brought it to kids at St. Joseph Children's Hospital on July 27, 2007. Major League Baseball Umpire Mark Wegner and Tampa Bay Devil Rays mascot Raymond offered words of encouragement and distributed Build-A-Bear Workshop stuffed animals to children coping with serious illness.

This Big League BLUE Reach visit was made possible by the generous support of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Umps Care, and by many individuals who recently donated for the cost of a stuffed animal.

Cynthia Tornero, Keith McGunnigle, and Bill Charles of Bristol-Myers Squibb participated in the event with Mark and Raymond to ensure the kids received the best possible experience.

The Media
Bay News 9 and WTVT Fox 13 were on hand to cover the event. Click Here for the Bay News 9 news story.

The Hospital and Staff
St. Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa is a premier 164-bed hospital committed to providing everything needed for the health and well-being of children. St. Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa is best described as an innovative, family-centered hospital known for its high-tech medical care in a child-friendly environment. Bright, warm primary colors welcome children from the minute they walk through the hospital’s front door into the spacious, cheerful lobby.

A special thanks to the following people at the hospital who made this visit so memorable:

• Kristin Maier, Child Life Supervisor
• Amy Gall, Public Relations Coordinator              

The Host Profiles

Photo/MLB Mark Wegner is in his 9th season as a Major League Baseball Umpire. View Bio.

Photo/MLB Raymond is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays mascot. Here he is in action. View Bio.

Event Materials

• Press Release
• Media Alert
• Media Bulletin (BLUE for Kids Fact Sheet and umpire bios)
• Maps and Directions
• Campus and Parking Map (parking will be validated)
• About Big League BLUE Reach