Gaylord, Minnesota Boy Receives Sandlot-Inspired Clubhouse from Kretschmar, Coborn's and Make-A-Wish Minnesota

LISLE, Ill., July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaleb, a six-year-old from Gaylord, Minn., with a hematologic disorder, is the owner of the coolest clubhouse in town. Kaleb is an enthusiastic fan of the movie "The Sandlot" and wished for a fort inspired by the 1993 cult classic. Kretschmar® Premium Deli Meats and Coborn's grocery stores teamed with Make-A-Wish Minnesota to make Kaleb's wish a reality. Today, the three organizations granted him a clubhouse just like the one from the film. The project was done in conjunction with an association between Kretschmar and Make-A-Wish, in which Kretschmar donated $105,000 for the second-consecutive year to grant three wishes throughout 2014.

Actor Patrick Renna, who played "Ham" in "The Sandlot", was on hand to celebrate with Kaleb for the official dedication party.  Renna helped cut the ribbon to open the clubhouse to Kaleb and all of his friends and family. The actor posed for several pictures and signed numerous autographs throughout the day. Kretschmar and Coborn's supplied refreshments and sandwiches for everyone and gave Kaleb an oversized card full of well wishes that were collected over the month of June from the customers and employees at its stores.

The clubhouse is a near-replica of the fort occupied by the gang in "The Sandlot". It stands about five feet off the ground in Kaleb's backyard. It has a balcony, slide, tire swing and a pole to slide down.  Just being near it, you can imagine Kaleb having a campout with friends like "Ham", "Smalls", "Squints", "Yeah-Yeah", Kenny, Bertram and Benny "the Jet".

We had a lot of fun in helping bring Kaleb's wish to life," said Mike Sargent, brand manager for Kretschmar. "Above all, we're honored to fulfill Make-A-Wish's mission as they bring hope, strength and joy to children at a time they need it most. We're very thankful to Coborn's and the local community for rallying behind Kaleb and supporting us to give Kaleb his clubhouse."

For Kaleb's clubhouse, Kretschmar partnered with Coborn's to aid in sponsoring the wish. In addition to Kretschmar's $105,000 donation to Make-A-Wish America, incremental funding for the project was raised at Coborn's through sales of paper stars that were sold at its stores' registers for $1, with proceeds going to Make-A-Wish. A sandwich was named in Kaleb's honor and sold at the retailer's deli counters, with its proceeds also benefitting Make-A-Wish. Enough funding was raised at Coborn's to enhance Kaleb's clubhouse with bunk beds, shelving and several toys to fill the inside.

Tom McKinney, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Minnesota stated, "We are so thankful for the support we received for Kaleb's wish through Kretschmar and Coborn's. Their support and organizations like them make it possible for us to grant 300 wishes a year."

Kretschmar is a part of the John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, Inc. For more information about Kretschmar Deli please visit www.kretschmardeli.com.  

About Kretschmar

Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses has meant quality since 1883.  Our hams are made with a unique hardwood smoking process.  Kretschmar poultry and beef are hand-trimmed using the finest cuts.  Our full line of Off-The-Bone deli meats are delicately sliced from the leanest, most tender cuts. And our premium Wisconsin cheeses repeatedly win in competitions world-wide. Try the Legendary Taste of Kretschmar today.

For great recipes and more, like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/kretschmardeli) or our website at www.kretschmardeli.com.

About Make-A-Wish Minnesota

Founded in 1982, Make-A-Wish^® Minnesota has granted more than 4,000 wishes to children across the state.  Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.  Make-A-Wish is the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 61 chapters in the United States and its territories. For more information about make-A-Wish Minnesota, visit www.mn.wish.org or call (612) 767-WISH (9474).  

About Coborn's

St. Cloud, Minn.-based Coborn's, Inc. is an employee-owned grocery retailer with 48 stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin under the Coborn's,  Cash Wise Foods and Save-A-Lot banners.

Coborn's, Inc. also owns CobornsDelivers, an online grocery ordering and home delivery service; and stand-alone convenience, liquor, video and pharmacy locations. To support its 120 retail locations, Coborn's, Inc. operates its own central bakery, dry cleaning facility and grocery distribution center. As an ESOP company with more than 7,400 employees, Coborn's, Inc. strives to Be the Best Place to Work and Shop. In 2010, Coborn's, Inc. was recognized as 'Family Business of the Year for Community Service and Philanthropy' by Minnesota Business magazine. In 2011, Coborn's, Inc. was recognized as 'Independent Retailer of the Year' by Grocery Headquarters magazine.

About John Morrell Food Group 

With over a century and a half of experience, John Morrell Food Group brands have become respected and well known for providing premium-quality meat products to families across the United States. With products ranging from lunchmeat and franks to smoked sausage, bacon and pepperoni, the John Morrell Food Group is an important part of consumers' mealtimes. The John Morrell Food Group offers several national and regional brands including Armour®, Eckrich®, John Morrell®, Curly's®, Patrick Cudahy®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Margherita®, Kretschmar® and LunchMakers®.

About Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, Gwaltney®, John Morrell®, Kretschmar®, Curly's®, Carando®, Margherita®, and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.

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SOURCE Kretschmar Deli