Greater Milwaukee Men

(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) With Giannis officially being the NBA MVP last night, Milwaukee, the 30th largest city in the US, has the current reigning MVP in baseball and basketball. This has happened 23 times before, and the next smallest metro area to do so before was 19th (St. Louis). But what does this mean, if anything? Does it help the city at all, especially for non-sportsballers? The short answer is: yes.

David Denson of the Brewers minor leagues Photo courtesy of  Michael Gallacher / Missoulian 'All-inclusive' usually refers to a hotel where you pay one rate to have access to all food, drink and activities, but for MLB it now means being inclusive of all players of any background. Hopefully these days will be in the past soon,when it is considered 'historic' for a professional athlete to come out as gay. For now though we can celebrate and congratulate when it happens, for it still is a big deal as much as I wish it was old hat by now. For Milwaukee professional baseball team the Brewers, history was made when Davd Denson, minor league player, though not on the Brewers major league roster still an MLB pro with the organization, came out as gay. The full story, relating how he came out in response to derogatory comments made at and about him can be read at the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel in a great article by Tom Haudricourt. It tells an unfortunately typical tal...

These are the types of vests that the event will help provide Milwaukee Professional Baseball Players, WAMI Award Winner And GAB to attend the 2014 MECA Vest A K-9 Fest. In partnership with FOX Sports Network (FSN), Dr. Lichtenberger, DVM, DACVECC and The MECA Foundation  will host the 3rd annual MECA Vest A K-9 Fest Saturday, July 26th from 10am until 3pm at the Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals located in Greenfield, WI. ​ Last year over 1200 people attended the event in support of the MECA Foundation’s mission, which is to provide total wellness for Wisconsin police k-9's including veterinary care, financial support for police K-9's and K-9 protective vests . Wisconsin has over 235 canine officers and most of them do not have protection. The average cost of a K-9 vest is $840.  Each vest is bullet and stab proof and made of the same ballistic material as the human officer vest. The vest weights approximately 6 lbs. The vests do not inhibit the K-9's moveme...

Even though you may not be able to avoid the first number, you can avoid being part of the second if it is detected early. Get checked. We all know men are notoriously bad at taking care of themselves, so sometimes an incentive can help kick us into action. This coming Monday men are given just that opportunity - to be spurred into action to get themselves checked out - in this case for prostate cancer. After the Brewers hopefully hand it to the Yankees this weekend, the Miller Park parking lot will be home to something quite different than tailgating. On Monday, May 12, fans of the Brewers and staying healthy can head on down to the lot where two mobile clinic vehicles will be there to perform prostate cancer screenings for free. Not only is it free, and you don't need an appointment, but you have the chance to get 2 free Brewers tickets. The event, presented by Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network, Fox 6, the Milwaukee Brewers, ZERO-Prostate Cance...

Ronald McDonald House Milwaukee's Expansion Plans When local businesses and organizations partner together for a cause the effect is often exponentially more than the sum of their parts, That is the case with the fourth year of Northwestern Mutual and the Milwaukee Brewers partnering to support the needs of our local Ronald McDonald House. One in 330 children will be diagnosed with some form of cancer by the time they are 20-years-old. Because treatment plans differ for each of the many forms of the disease, families often have to travel to seek the best care for their child. The costs associated with accommodations, hospitalizations, medication and therapies add up quickly and can be overwhelming for those already battling tough circumstances. To help alleviate the economic burden, Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation , is partnering with the Brewers Community Foundation for the  Stolen Bases, Happy Faces  campaign. Throughout the 2014 major league baseba...

Prominent players of both the Packers and Brewers are stepping up and doing their part to help people affected by two recent tragedies - the Brookfield shooting and Hurricane Sandy. These are just the newest examples of two organizations that consistently show support for their communities and people everywhere. Wisconsin's two pro MVPs Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Braun, through their 8-Twelve restaurant, have organized a Benefit for the Children of Azana Spa Victims  Monday, November 12, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (CST) Brookfield, WI. This benefit, sponsored by the SURG Restaurant Group and 8-Twelve business partners Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Braun, will benefit the children of the three women who lost their lives in the Azana Spa shooting. The $100 admission will include a silent auction, food stations and all beverages, including wine donated by One Hope Wine and Woodson’s Twenty-Four. Today’s TMJ4 anchor Susan Kim will emcee the evening.8-Twelve. Food and fundraising togethe...

The YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee today announced it has received a $25,000 donation from Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks to help support the Y’s Swim School. Swim School is a community supported learn-to-swim program hosted at the Northside YMCA designed to help urban youth learn to be safe in and around water. The program is offered to second and third graders who attend school in Milwaukee’s Lindsey Heights neighborhood. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14, and African American children ages 5 to 14 are three times as likely to die from drowning as white children. Lack of access to public swimming pools, along with a negative perception of water, contributes to these statistics.

The inaugural “Brewers Mini-Marathon,” presented by  Sendik’s Food   Markets, was completed this morning with a capacity 5,000 runners representing 32 states. Fundraising for the event benefitted the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer, Inc.). "The MACC Fund was honored to be the charitable beneficiary of the inaugural Brewers Mini,” said John Cary, Executive Director of the MACC Fund. “We were thrilled with the incredible response of the runners who raised over $111,000 for pediatric cancer and blood disorder research."

The Milwaukee Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is hosting an Awareness Night with the Milwaukee Brewers to raise awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer research while the Brewers take on the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 31. A portion of each ticket sold for the game will be donated to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Pancreatic cancer survivors, families, friends and supporters are invited to join us help raise awareness. Remember to always check the calendar for more man-friendly events that support charities.

The Brewers continue to show their ties to and support of the Milwaukee community with Brewers Community Foundation Week beginning Thursday, August 16 featuring a week of activities at Miller Park to highlight the Foundation's charitable impact in the community.  BCF's focused areas of interest are related to these causes. One of the highlights of BCF Week is the "Ultimate Auction" which begins on Brewers.com tomorrow and will continue until August 21.  Fans will have the opportunity to bid on and win one-of-a-kind memorabilia items and unique experiences.  Thirteen exclusive packages will be available, including the opportunity to serve as a Brewers First Base Coach at 2013 Spring Training, Mark Attanasio's five front row seats next to the Brewers dugout for a game, and an all-expense trip to the Brewers Fantasy Camp.  A complete list of "Ultimate Auction" items is attached and fans can bid on items at Brewers.com/bcfweek.

The Blood Center of Wisconsin has two great promos going on right now in an effort to increase blood donations. Both of them include getting in free to an event - Wisconsin State Fair or a Brewer's game. State Fair Promo If you donate blood at one of our donor centers now through August 11, you’ll give the gift of life to up to three people. And as a special thank you for donating during this time of high need, you’ll score a free one-day admission to the State Fair — one of the most family-friendly and affordable entertainment experiences of Wisconsin’s summer season. Call  1-877-BE-A-HERO  (1-877-232-4376) or 1-414-937-6199 to make an appointment. Be sure to mention " Summer " to get your free ticket. Or make an appointment  online at one of their donor centers . Type " Summer " in the comment box on the confirmation page during your online registration. In addition to the Wisconsin State Fair ticket, you'll also receive an extra 200 recognition po...

Once again the Milwaukee Brewers prove to be a positive force in the community above affecting the lives of its citizens above and beyond the entertainment on field. Fifteen Wisconsin students will be attending college this fall with the help of the Brewers Community Foundation’s Selig Scholars Program ,  Player Scholarships donated by several Milwaukee Brewers players and the Michael J. Bonan Scholarship Fund. With the Class of 2012, a total of 99 students have now been selected as scholarships recipients since 2003. Seven students will receive Selig Scholarships, named in honor of former Brewers President and current Commissioner of Baseball Allan H. (Bud) Selig. Six students will receive Player Scholarships and two will receive Michael J. Bonan Scholarships. The Selig Scholars receive $10,000 over four years, while Player Scholarship recipients receive one-year scholarships in the amount of $2,500 through funds donated by Brewers players Ryan Braun, Marco Estrada, Yovan...

ESPN was having a  Battle of the Ballparks , and in a bracket of field against field, Miller Park won its way into the Final Four. Then, as Wisconsinites usually do, we got on and voted it to the top. Due to the votes of Milwaukee fans, Miller Park ended up the final winner. Miller Park  had bested Angel, Dodger and Pittsburgh stadiums on its way to the Final Four where it was pitted against the vaunted Camden Yards and the finals where it met AT&T Park. Jim Caple of ESPN, creator of the poll, seems to think Miller Park does not deserve it and is there because of Wisconsin's penchant for patriotic voting. Sure, we recently helped  Donald Drive r win Dancing With The Stars, we always win the  Campbell's Click for Cans  promotion, and we can always seem to get out the vote for all-star ballots and the like, but come on - give Miller Park some credit. It may not have the history of some of the famous ballparks like Camden, Fenway, Wrigley, and it...

I become more and more impressed with the Brewers organization and their involvement in the community and other causes including matching donations for a day, Nyjer Morgan promoting animal adoption , and making Miller Park a LEED certified green building. Now, Brewers right fielder Corey Hart is joining the seemingly endless work of the Brewers by stepping up to the plate in the fight against heart disease and stroke.  Starting with the May 7 game against the Cincinnati Reds, fans can purchase Field Outfield Box tickets to all Brewers Monday home games in a special  Corey’s Corner  section.  For $35*, fans receive a Field Outfield Box ticket (normally $42), plus a Corey’s Corner T-Shirt, and a portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold will help support the life-saving mission of the American Heart Association!  Tickets are already on sale. If you plan to go to a Monday Brewers game and don't have tickets, what a great way to follow the Social.Responsibil...

Brewer's outfielder Nyjer Morgan, self-proclaimed 'Alpha-male Silverback Gorilla', shows his softer side and a humane heart in a new video interview for  PETA  discussing how he recently adopted a cat. Regardless of what you think of some of their extreme measures - though an animal welfare person myself I don't agree with them all - their ads and campaigns can and do promote basic animal welfare awareness. And one of the simplest yet most important aspects of animal welfare is companion animal adoption. When we learn to treat our companion animals better then that is likely to carry over to better treatment of all animals. The reasons to adopt are numerous, and I could do ( and have ) done entire posts about it, for a quick review check out the Humane Society of the United States  Top Five Reasons to Adopt .

The field, roof, and even seats are green at  Miller Park , the stadium where the  Milwaukee Brewers  play, and they have gone beyond color to become a truly Green facility, as in environmental. Miller Park has received one of the most prestigious honors for facility sustainability and conservation efforts. The U.S. Green Building Council ( USGBC ) has announced that Miller Park is  LEED  (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified in the category of Existing Building Operations & Maintenance, making it the first stadium with a retractable roof and just the third Major League Baseball stadium overall to receive the designation. Since the initial plans for Miller Park and throughout its existence, the Brewers have worked to reduce Miller Park's impact on the environment and seek green and environmental programs including hosting a  Green Week , and becoming one of the  top 10 stadiums for vegetarian food options . Working with anothe...

On March 8th you can double the impact you make on an organization simply by donating through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation 's Match Day. If you donate to the Foundation’s  Basic Needs Fund  or to one or more of the  19 participating agencies  in the greater Milwaukee area meeting the food and shelter needs of individuals and families who are struggling, the  Brewers Community Foundation  along with other funders are providing a total of $675,000 to match contributions and grow the impact of a donor’s gift. Some people may choose not to donate because they think the amount they can give is pointless, that it will mean nothing to the organization. Besides that being untrue, non-profits welcome even the smallest donations (100 people donating $10 is $1,000), this program can help alleviate that as well by doubling the amount you donate.

As you may have heard, Craig Counsell, Brewers infielder and Whitefish bay native, retired from playing baseball only to join the front office of the Brewers . The Brewers announced Craig joining the Brewers front office as Special Assistant to the General Manager. Apparently Counsell's first love for baseball was managing, not playing, but I am sure the skill and dedication he brought being a player, and that experience, will make him a great front office man in whatever aspect he finds himself in the coming years. it doesn't hurt that Counsell  follows in the footsteps of his father, John, who worked in the Milwaukee front office for eight years himself.

On a week when there have been more typically bad morality plays in professional sports, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did a piece on an inspiring former athlete - Larry Hisle of the Milwaukee Brewers . The story talks about how Hisle works with disadvantaged males of all ages as part of his work for the Brewers as the manager of youth outreach, a paid position but a vocation he is called do and would do regardless. Entering the Holiday season of the US Thanksgiving Day and various religious special days, it seems that professional sports wants to drag us down and keep us in the negativity of the state of the economy and other political issues. Between the dangerous and vindictive actions on the race track, allegations of abuse in college football, and the NBA lockout, sports don;t seem so inspiring. But Hisle and the his former and current employer the Milwaukee Brewers give some hope. First kudos to the Brewers organization for having the outreach program and especially for ...

Did you think you could celebrate Milwaukee Brewers'  pitchers strikes as even more meaningful than a means to a win? Well, by supporting Hunger Task Force's K's For A Cause program you can sign up to make a donation to Hunger Task Force very time the Brewers get a strike. You can even get a cool and unique Brewers shirt if you donate a a certain level.