$2,916 raised for Fight Fund at River City Rascals fundraiser

By MARY ANN HOLLEY

Correspondent

O’Fallon, MO – More than 1,000 union members attended the River City Rascal’s $5 for the Fight Night June 9, enjoying good baseball and $1 beers, while raising $2,916 dollars for the St. Louis Labor Council’s $5 for the Fight Fund, which helps union members and their families facing financial hardship.

Mike Louis, president of the Missouri AFL-CIO and Pat White, president of the St. Louis Labor Council, threw out the opening pitches to start the game.

The Rascals faced off against the Windy City Thunderbolts and brought home an impressive 7-2 win.

This was the first year for the Rascals to sponsor the fundraiser, donating a portion of each ticket sold to the Fight Fund.

The Labor Council also set up a Rip-off Tent outside the ballpark to allow union members and registered Missouri voters to sign the Citizens’ Referendum petition to repeal “right-to-work” by placing the measure on the 2018 ballot for voters to decide.

“Not only is this good for $5 for the Fight, which helps our union members who are facing financial difficulties for whatever reason, it raises the profile and public awareness of our unions and our fight to repeal ‘right-to-work,’” Louis said. “That’s a homerun.”

LIKELY TO BE A REGULAR EVENT

White said the evening’s success meant it would likely become a regular event.

“They actually approached me,” White said of the fundraiser. “We sold more 1,000 tickets ourselves, and they let us gather signatures, too, which was nice. We’ll definitely be back.”

White said the St. Louis FC soccer team, which is co-sponsored by the Electrical Connection – partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) – has also expressed an interest in hosting a union night for the Fight Fund.

Dustin Kohler, senior group sales account executive for the Rascals, said it was a great night for a good cause.

“If it’s going to go to $5 for the Fight, I don’t see why we can’t do this every year,” Kohler said. “I’d rather see it going to the guys in the unions. They work hard and deserve to come out, have a beer and enjoy a ballgame.