2020 WATERLOO BUCKS COMMUNITY REPORT

Dear Cedar Valley,

Thank you for your support of the Waterloo Bucks in 2020. Each year, we are proud to share with the community our efforts aimed at enhancing the lives of those around us while ensuring the fan and visitor experience at Cost Cutters Field at Riverfront Stadium is the best it can be.

We pride ourselves on being more than a club, striving to support our community in a typical year with in-kind donations, fundraising, player and mascot appearances, and much more. As an active part of the Cedar Valley, the Waterloo Bucks make it a priority to support the community on and off the field. This was exceptionally true during unprecedented times like the year 2020 has brought us all.

Through the “Our Bucks” Community Initiative, developed in 2017, the Bucks promote any involvement throughout the Cedar Valley. From our annual Summer Reading Program to community hosted events, the Waterloo Bucks are excited to showcase the ways the Bucks help make the community better. The Bucks understand the significance of our relationship with the community and find it essential to support those who support our organization.

Our Bucks connects the citizens of Waterloo and the Greater Cedar Valley area with the Waterloo Bucks Baseball Organization by promoting community involvement, leadership, and building the bond between the fans and the organization.

We also are proud of our investments in the community. In 2020, the Waterloo Bucks supported thousands of dollars in charitable grants and donations to deserving nonprofit organizations in Waterloo and throughout the Cedar Valley.

The Bucks provide activities for the surrounding areas and offered a special place for families, friends, and businesses to get away. Partnering with different companies and organizations to create memories that last a lifetime is the ultimate goal.

We will continue to actively participate in the community, working hard to improve the experience as well as the quality of life for the surrounding areas. The improvements we have made within the stadium reflect our commitment to the Cedar River Exchange Park area and our efforts outside the stadium show our pride.

Thank you for your help along the way. We look forward to continuing to work together in 2021.

Sincerely, The Waterloo Bucks

NOTE | Some photos included were taken before COVID-19 regulations. SUMMER READING 2020 Summer Reading Program PROGRAM Over the last 5 years we have partnered with hundreds of elementary schools across Eastern to promote the importance of reading during the summer.

Hitting the books during the summer break helps students improve their reading ability and makes the transition to the new school year a little easier.

Our reading program offers prizes In 2020, the Bucks Summer Reading Program was able to pivot and a fun game within the program to an online only program. We reached out to 46 schools in the that encourages young students to area and encouraged participation on our YouTube channel. This stick with reading, even if school is year, we learned a lot about how to make a virtual program work not in session. and we are excited to see these numbers keep going up!

The Bucks devotion to improving the lives of those in the Cedar Valley 42 is reflected in our reading program CARDS COMPLETED by focusing on education for the younger generations. 5,074 THANK YOU KIDS REACHED TO OUR SPONSORS who help make the program happen! 41,000 MINUTES READ NOTE | Some photos were taken in previous years, before COVID-19 regulations. CORPORATE ANGELS Their generous, tax-deductible contribution of $100 or more Each season, the Waterloo provides tickets to these worthy Bucks receive many requests non-profits, allowing them to from non-profit groups seeking enjoy a Bucks game! complimentary tickets to Bucks games. The Bucks believe that everyone should have a chance to build memories at a baseball game, and try and honor as many requests as we can.

However, the demand often exceeds the number of tickets available for donation each year. The Bucks partner with various businesses in the Cedar Valley through the Bucks ‘Corporate Angels’ program. CORPORATE ANGELS & CHARITABLE DONATIONS

CHARITABLE DONATIONS Including donations made by the Kernels Foundation, the The Bucks fulfill many charitable organization has made a total donation requests over the contribution of over $30,000 course of a year. Donations such 84 in cash since 2014. as gift baskets, autographed BENEFITING ORGANIZATIONS memorabilia, tickets, souvenirs, and more find their way into silent auctions around the Cedar Valley. $3,243 Other in-stadium opportunities IN-KIND DONATIONS like tables on the concourse, “Dash for Cash”, or specialty jersey auctions allow us to use our platform to raise awareness about a specific cause. STOLEN BASES FOR CHARITY STOLEN BASES FOR CHARITY This season, the Waterloo Bucks teamed up with West Bend Insurance and The ACCEL Group to donate money to the Waverly Summer Lunch & $2,000 Enrichment Program for every Bucks stolen base at Cost Cutters DONATED TO THE WAVERLY SUMMER Field at Riverfront Stadium. LUNCH & ENRICHMENT PROGRAM Each stolen base by the Bucks at home netted $30. Before a game in August this season, a check was presented to the Waverly Summer Lunch & Enrichment Program.

The Bucks ended the year with 39 stolen bases, putting us at $1,170. However The Accel Group and West Bend Insurance rounded the total amount raised to $2,000 that was donated to the Waverly Summer Lunch & Enrichment Program. JOB CREATION IN THE CEDAR VALLEY The Waterloo Bucks employed over 61 individuals during the 2020 season. Employees range from 61 INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED high school students, individuals with full time jobs looking for extra income, to retirees. SHARE THE GLOVE EQUIPMENT GRANT

FOUNDATION

In conjunction with the Northwoods footprint of the league. Each grant League Foundation, the Waterloo will include one set of catcher’s gear, Bucks are proud to announce the ten gloves, eight batting helmets, Heat Baseball Club has been named six bats, and one bucket of practice the recipient of this year’s Share the balls. Eleven baseball grants Glove Equipment Grant Program. All and eleven softball grants will be 22 communities awarded. will receive a grant from the Foundation. “Share the Glove embodies not only the mission of the Northwoods The Bucks received many applicants League Foundation, but the spirit in its third year of this grant and are of the League and its Affiliates,” proud to have an impact in providing said Gary Hoover, Northwoods this equipment to an organization in League Foundation Secretary. “We the Cedar Valley. As part of the Our look forward to further inspiring Bucks Community Initiative, the Bucks participation in, and a love for, partnered with the Northwoods the games of baseball and softball League Foundation in providing throughout our communities.” this equipment and would like to congratulate the Heat Baseball The Northwoods League Foundation Club. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that serves as a vehicle to transform The Cedar Valley based a shared passion for baseball into organization’s mission is to provide positive change and support for life skills such as sportsmanship, communities. discipline, goal-setting, and physical fitness, and to make baseball The Mission of the Northwoods League affordable and accessible for all Foundation is to utilize the game of members while maintaining financial responsibility. baseball to enrich the quality of life for children and families with an enduring The Northwoods League Foundation and caring focus on Northwoods League is donating over $40,000 in youth communities. Rawlings baseball and softball equipment this spring throughout the THANK YOU BUCKS FANS FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE SEASON

FIELD AT RIVERFRONT STADIUM