Mike Anderson Chevy Steps up to the Plate for Merrillville Little League as Part of National Chevy Youth Baseball Program

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mike Anderson Chevy is supporting the Merrillville community through a partnership with Merrillville Little League. The dealership will provide baseball equipment, instructional clinics, a monetary donation, and an opportunity to raise an additional $10,000 in funds through a Chevy vehicle giveaway-fundraiser.  The effort by Mike Anderson Chevy is part of the Chevy Youth Baseball initiative being rolled out across the nation from March through July 2011.

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"Baseball is a great American pastime and Chevrolet is proud to have a longstanding history with this tradition on a national level. Mike Anderson Chevy is bringing that level of commitment for youth baseball to the Merrillville community, where our customers and their families live," said Al Kuchar, General Manager for Mike Anderson Chevy. "Our youth baseball program in Merrillville is truly cherished and we are happy and excited to support the kids in a significant way."

Mike Anderson Chevy will present the Merrillville Little League with equipment kits complete with equipment bags, baseball buckets, dugout managers, and Chevy Youth Baseball t-shirts.  The sponsorship includes clinics with experienced instructors from former MLB/MiLB players and coaches or the Ripken Baseball professional staff.

In addition, a one-time monetary donation check will be presented by Mike Anderson Chevy to Merrillville Little League.  The team also will have an opportunity to raise additional funds for their use as part of a Chevy Youth Baseball Fundraiser.  Sponsored leagues across the country will each receive 2,000 fundraiser entry tickets to distribute for a suggested donation, and the league will keep 100 percent of proceeds raised.  At the end of the fundraiser, there will be five winners of a Chevy Equinox or Chevy Cruze vehicle of choice (up to $30,000 in value), and in each participating market there will be a secondary prize of a home entertainment center valued at $1,000.

Chevrolet is recognized on the national level as the "Official Vehicle of Major League Baseball."  "Chevrolet vehicles are made for families and we hope the kids or their parents will consider a Chevrolet as an official vehicle of their household," said Kuchar.

Chevrolet has expanded its support of MLB to the youth baseball players in communities across the country through the Chevy Youth Baseball program. The Chevy Youth Baseball program began in Atlanta in 2006. In 2010, more than 980 Chevrolet dealers participated in Chevy Youth Baseball and helped raise more than $3 million for youth baseball programs across the USA.  Now going into its sixth year, more than $10 million has been contributed to youth baseball in the communities where Chevrolet's customers live, work, and play. Currently, 1,423 Chevrolet dealers are participating in this national program.

For more information about Chevy Youth Baseball, please visit www.youthsportswired.com.

About Chevrolet
Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly" solutions, such as Chevrolet Cruze Eco with an EPA-estimated 42 miles per gallon highway, and the Chevrolet Volt offering 35 miles of electric driving and an additional 344 miles of extended gasoline range, according to EPA estimates. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

SOURCE Mike Anderson Chevy