Jeremy Keelin, 15, is a big fan of baseball but, more importantly, a big fan of the St. Cloud River Bats. It was almost too good to be true last Wednesday as he and the rest of Camp Friendship were hosts to five players from the Northwoods League team. “We are very grateful to the River Bats for being here,” said Jonathan Hausman, program specialist for Camp Friendship. “This is an opportunity for the players and the campers to know each other.” River Bats players Eric Taylor, Jake Eigsti, Chris Denove, Marcus McKenzie and Scott Hendrix conducted a brief baseball demonstration before splitting the campers into smaller groups for sessions on fielding, throwing, hitting and pitching. “They taught me how to bat and I already know how to bat, but now I’m better,” Keelin said. Camp Friendship, located on Clearwater Lake near Annandale, is a facility that provides a variety of recreational activities each week during the summer and winter for children and adults with either physical or mental disabilities. Campers come for fun-filled programs that help build self-esteem. During the last school year, camp director Laurie Tschetter decided to offer a special activity for campers each week. “We have had a car show, wrestlers from the Foley High School, and now the River Bats,” Tschetter said. The task of organizing weekly activities was appointed to Hausman. Last Wednesday’s special with the River Bats took just one phone call. He contacted the team’s assistant general manager Marc Jerzak about the idea last January. Jerzak was only too happy to oblige. “I loved (the idea). We’re happy to be here,” Jerzak said. “The players are from all over the country and it is good for them to get out into the community.” Many campers were excited to learn that they would spend a morning with the River Bats. One of them was Wayne Krippner,35, who has been coming to camp the past 26 years. “Wayne’s just been talking about them (the River Bats) coming out,” Tschetter said. “I am a big baseball fan and I like Scott Hendrix,” Krippner added. For River Bats pitcher McKenzie, the idea of spending some time with the campers thrilled him. When he first heard about the trip to the camp from Jerzak, he jumped at the opportunity and volunteered. “It is a privilege to come out here to do stuff for the kids,” McKenzie said. “It’s been great.” He was just as excited when he heard that 15 campers were going to be on the spectator seats at the Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud later that night when the River Bats hosted the Waterloo Bucks. The Bats, as they are fondly known to their fans, went on to win that game 5-0. Like McKenzie, Jerzak had an enjoyable time with the campers and he is considering making this trip an annual event for the team. If that happens, chances are he won’t be short of volunteers. “If I come back (to play for the River Bats) next year and they want someone to do this, I’ll definitely volunteer again,” McKenzie said. (See Photo Gallery for more photos of the River Bats at Camp Friendship.)
