ABOUT MAGICAL BUILDERS:
Magical Builders™ is based on the philosophy that with the vision
and talent of our children, we can greatly improve our
communities and ourselves by working together for a common good.
Magical Builders effectuates this principle by renovating the
facilities of non-profit organizations nationwide through
youth-led, renovation projects.
Current Projects of the Magical
Builders™ Program Include:
• Youth Softball Field Construction
(Placentia,
California) - Magical Builders has teamed up with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Major League Baseball Star Torii Hunter to construct a new youth softball field for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Placentia - Yorba Linda.
• 2008 MLB All-Star Renovation
(Bronx,
New York) - Magical Builders is working with Major League Baseball and National Restaurant Supply Co. to construct improvements within a new Boys & Girls Club located in the Bronx, NY.
Past Projects of the Magical Builders™ Program
Include:
• 2007 MLB All-Star Break, Boys & Girls Club Renovation
(San Francisco, California) - The Magical Builders team
along with Major League Baseball renovated the exterior of the
Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club at Hunters Point during All – Star
Week 2007. The 3rd Annual Magical Builders project featured a
Community Volunteer Day hosted by San Francisco Giants legend Matt
Williams and his wife Erika. The 2007 XM Satellite Radio All-Star
Futures Game Players also made an appearance and assisted with the
renovations.
The Hunters Point Clubhouse, located three miles from AT&T Park,
serves more than 12,000 youth, predominately from at-risk
circumstances, and is part of the 116 year-old Boys & Girls Clubs of
San Francisco organization. At the Club, members take part in
educational activities, build their self-esteem and develop positive
attitudes during critical periods of childhood development.
Renovation of exterior of the Boys & Girls Club:
• Installed over 120 feet of new wood fencing around the playground
area providing vital protection and privacy for the children.
• Landscaping in playground area and in front of the facility.
• Demolition and removal of non-code playground equipment.
• Removal and trim of overgrown trees, shrubs and vegetation.
• Beautification of exterior of facility.
Donations:
Donations of material and labor from local companies is estimated at
approximately $60,000.
• Sierra Point Lumber donated lumber and
materials for the new wood fence
• Frank & Grossman Landscape Contractors Inc.
donated labor and materials
• Alarcon Bohm – donated 2 dumpsters for
72 hrs. and a demo crew to remove all overgrown landscape and old
jungle gym
• Citywide Hauling and Demolition –
assisted in donating demo crew
• Swinerton Management & Consulting –
assisted with overall project management of project
• Escape From New York Pizza – donated
pizzas for volunteers work days
• Safeway – donated BBQ lunch for
volunteers at Community Volunteer Day
• Baby Ruth – donated dessert for the
volunteers
• Magical Builders – t-shirts and hats
for volunteers and coordinated all aspects of project
Community Volunteer Day:
The Community Volunteer Day was a huge success. Over 100 volunteers
worked from 8am – 4pm hauling debris, building fences, pulling
weeds, planting flowers and conducting numerous other tasks
necessary to complete the project.
The volunteers received a Magical Builders / MLB All Star Game
t-shirt and a nice BBQ lunch. Giants legend Matt Williams worked
with the volunteers side-by-side throughout the day. It was a
wonderful project! to renovate the exterior of the Hunter’s Point
Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco during the 2007
All–Star Break. Giants Legend Matt Williams and his wife Erika are
hosting a Community Volunteer Day on Saturday, July 7 to assist with
the renovations.
• Shadyside Club Renovation
(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) - The annual Magical Builders All-Star Break renovation was a huge success again
in 2006. Magical Builders and Major League Baseball coordinated a major overhaul
of the Shadyside Boys & Girls Club in Pittsburg, PA. Special thanks to local
organizations, volunteers and the children of the Boys & Girls Club for making
this happen.
• West Bank Boys & Girls Club Renovation
(New Orleans,
Louisiana) - Magical Builders , Major League Baseball and MLB.com partnered to renovate
the West Bank Boys & Girls Club in connection with the New Orleans Zephyrs
home opener in April 2006. This Club had been closed since Hurricane Katrina
due to damage caused by the storm. Therefore, re-opening this Club was vital
because the community it serves had been overwhelmed with children from other
neighborhoods that were destroyed.
*
Read
a column about opening day on MinorLeagueBaseball.com.
*
Read
a story about Magical Builders on MinorLeagueBaseball.com.
*
Read
a story about the renovations on MinorLeagueBaseball.com.
* See
a video feature about the projects on
MinorLeagueBaseball.com.
* See
a video feature about the projects on MinorLeagueBaseball.com.
• Phoenix Children’s Hospital Family Living Center
(Phoenix, Arizona) - Magical Builders partnered with Artemino Construction, The Ameris
Group, Cindi Battisti and Jessica Brown of Robb & Stucky Design
Studio, REA Architecture, The Phoenix Suns Dancers and nearly 20
subcontracting companies to renovate and improve the Family Living
Center at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Approximately $1 million
dollars in materials and labor were donated in connection with this
extraordinary endeavor. Construction took place March 21-29, 2005.
• The Diehl Club
(Detroit, Michigan) - In 1997, Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig stated "Major League Baseball
has been looking at the best ways to prepare for the 21st century and fortify
our relationship with youth" as he announced the selection of Boys & Girls
Clubs of America as the official charity of Major League Baseball.
Magical Builders worked with Major League Baseball and the Detroit Tigers to
renovate the Diehl Club of the Boys & Girls " Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
during the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Week. The Diehl Club facility
serves several hundred underprivileged children each day, and was in dire
need of renovation. The Magical Builders™ Team, which also consisted of
several local companies and subcontractors, stepped up to the plate by
providing new paint, landscaping, heating and air-conditioning upgrades,
ceiling tiles, upgraded bathrooms, and other amenities.
The Magical Builders™ Team began work on July 5th. On July 8th from 2-5 PM,
members of the community rolled up their sleeves and participated in the
Magical Builders Community Volunteer Day. On Saturday, July 9, players from
the XM Satellite Futures games stopped by and helped with the renovations.
Major League Baseball and Detroit Tigers representatives and MLB Mascots
consummated the Magical Builders™ project with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on
July 12th.
* Read the MLB.com story about last year's event [click here]