It’s Rally Time – Starting May 11!
The more fans cheer for the Barnstormers at Clipper Stadium, the more a rescue mission can feed the homeless and hungry LANCASTER, Pa., (May 2, 2005) -- The Lancaster Barnstormers is always thinking of creative ways to promote the new baseball team. Vince Bulik, Director of Corporate Partnerships along with Mike Mitchell of Amelia’s Grocery Outlets, took the idea of the team rally and created ‘Rally Roni.’ Stadiums around the country use music, towels, caps and even the monkey to rally the fans. Here in Lancaster we’ll have Rally Roni (a box of macaroni and cheese) to shake as a noisemaker at every game. It’ll be a lot of fun but more importantly it will provide donations to the Water Street Rescue Mission. “I haven’t seen anything like this before. It’s definitely uncharted territory,” says Mike Mitchell, president of Amelia’s Grocery Outlets and sponsor of the food donation campaign that benefits the Lancaster region’s hungry and homeless. “We wanted to do something that was well beyond the sign we sponsor in the ballpark. “The idea is to get people to have fun—and feed the hungry in the process.” SHAKING THINGS UP FOR THE HUNGRY
Amelia’s Grocery Outlet, an area grocery chain consisting of eight discount-food stores, produces the boxes of macaroni and cheese. Fans entering Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Barnstormers, can purchase two (2) Rally Roni boxes for $1.00 (Amelia’s will hand out over 8,000 boxes free at the first two games). Whenever the home team needs to rally, fans will be encouraged to shake their boxes. The team’s Video board, among the largest in minor league baseball will play a Rally Roni animated video and an on field emcee will prompt fans at the start of the rally. After the game, fans can drop the Rally Roni boxes into red donation receptacles located at stadium’s exits. The 100-year old Water Street Rescue Mission will then pick up the product and store it for redistribution to thousands of those in need. “We will use much of it for our own ministry,” says John Sentgeorge, chief development officer for Water Street, “but many other missions and agencies will benefit as well.” These include York Rescue Mission, Bethesda Rescue Mission in Harrisburg, Lebanon Rescue Mission in Lebanon, and the Sunday Breakfast Mission in Delaware, as well as a number of local food pantries. RALLY RONI PROJECTED TO RALLY THE SALES
The Rally Roni campaign is projected to last through the Barnstormers’ entire inaugural season, which commences May 11. Clipper Magazine stadium holds over 6,000 people, and with a projected sale of 3,000 boxes per game, Mitchell and Sentgeorge are hoping to sell a quarter of a million boxes during a 70-home game span. “It will really help Water Street lower its food costs while providing more food for the entire region,” says Sentgeorge. With its eye-catching red and gold graphics, the Rally Roni box will be instantly recognizable. Bearing Amelia’s, Barnstormers and Clipper Magazine Stadium logos, the half-pound 3-1/4”- by-7” container was developed by Dave Loose and his team at DLD Creative and holds envelopes containing about a half pound of macaroni and packaged cheese powder. A cap-adorned noodle character named Mac A. Roni says, “Shake your box of Amelia’s Rally Roni to support the Lancaster Barnstormers and the Water Street Rescue Mission!” According to Sentgeorge, “Although the Barnstormers may be a minor league team, the effect the Rally Roni donations will have upon the region’s hungry and homeless will be nothing less than major league.” Mitchell is happy about his grocery chain’s involvement. “Our slogan is ‘Teaming up to fight hunger,’ he says. “That’s what we want this promotion to do. As the season progresses, we’ll be tracking how many of the homeless and hungry are being served on our web site www.rallyroni.com. It’s an interesting way for people to have fun at the new ballpark and help the community at the same time.” | 