‘Hits For Harmon’ Last Call For NY Vs. Boston Tickets Drawing

Ray Shaw and all the former teammates of Kim Harmon, The Newtown Bee’s late sports editor, are slugging away with 174 runs scored to date as part of the team’s “Hits for Harmon” fundraising campaign. And they are putting out a last call for anyone interested in getting in on an interim drawing for a four-pack of tickets, clubhouse passes and parking for the August 28 Red Sox versus Yankees matchup at Yankee Stadium.

“We wanted to put a little juice into the pledge program, so we were fortunate to have these tickets and passes donated to the cause,” Shaw said following the drawing announcement. “It will be among the last chances to see these two intense rivals doing battle in the ‘House that Ruth Built,’ and anyone can get in on the drawing for just a $20 pledge.”

Since Harmon died last December, his fellow players on the Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base Ball Team have affixed memorial patches to their uniforms bearing their former teammate’s jersey number, and have launched a season-long fundraising effort to infuse the Harmon Family Fund, while creating a vehicle to further donations to the American Heart Association in Harmon’s name.

The overall “Hits For Harmon” program can involve pledges of any amount — from one penny on up — for each hit the vintage team scores in its 2008 season. At the end of the season, the team will call in its pledges, and formulate donations to the fund and the AHA. But this special interim drawing is only accessible to those making a $20 pledge or higher.

All participants, regardless of the amount pledged, will be eligible for additional drawings taking place following the closing of the “Hits for Harmon” campaign at the 2008 Labor Day Parade. The final drawings include four box seats plus parking for a Yankees / Rays game on September 12.

Newtown Savings Bank has generously offered to administer the collections and distribution of donations, as well as providing promotional underwriting. To pledge, or to get your sports or recreation group involved, e-mail John Voket, Newtown Bee associate editor, at john@thebee.com, or just come out and see the Sandy Hook team crank out the hits this season and support “Hits For Harmon.” At one of their upcoming games.

To learn more about the local vintage league, and to view the schedule of remaining games, go to www.vbbnewtown.com.

The Yankees / Red Sox drawing will follow the August 17 game against the Waterbury Connors, which kicks off at 4 pm at McLaughlin Vinyards in Newtown.