One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Dodger Fans Lend Five-Figure Hand To Tornado Victims
Lance Cormier signs autographs for fans at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 to raise money for victims in the April 2011 tornado outbreak in the South. (Photo courtesy Los Angeles Dodgers/Used with permission)
Dodger fans are very charitable. After having raised in excess of $61,000 for beating victim Brian Stow in early April, the fans came together again and raised another $10,000 for victims of the tornadoes that struck the South on April 27, 2011.
Relief pitcher Lance Cormier who resides in Tuscaloosa, Ala. during the offseason enlisted his fellow players to help raise money for the hard-hit region.
“It was within a mile-and-a-half of my house,” Cormier said. “A big part of our main intersection in town is totally wiped out.”
Beyond helping raise money, Cormier is also sheltering friends whose houses were destroyed.
“We’re out here for six months, so we have an empty house,” Cormier explained. “So we offered up our house.”
During the Sunday and Tuesday games of the prior homestand, players had 45-minute autograph sessions in Autograph Alley behind centerfield for a suggested donation of $5. On the Wednesday session were present Cormier, Tony Gwynn, Jr., Jonathan Broxton, Matt Guerrier, Clayton Kershaw, Blake Hawksworth and Jon Garland. While all of the players had nice printed name tags on the table in front of them, Garland’s tag was hastily written out.
“Actually it was [last minute],” Garland admitted. “Lance asked me if I could come out and join him in supporting this. For me anything I can do for a teammate if they’re supporting something that I believe in, I’m always up for helping out.”
Sponsored message
The Sunday autograph session raised $2,669.42 and the Tuesday session raised $2,570.20 alone.
In addition to the sessions, the Salvation Army set up booths throughout the Stadium to collect money or school supplies.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
