Despite falling just short of winning their fourth South Atlantic League Championship it was still a very good season on the field for the Lakewood BlueClaws.

It’s no surprise that a team that posted the best record in franchise history also helped contribute a record amount of money to charities serving military families and veterans.

The tenth season of Home Runs for Heroes saw the OceanFirst Foundation award $78,000 in grants to fourteen charities in central and southern New Jersey that meet the emergency basic needs of veterans and local service men and women (active and retired) and their families.

The program is a partnership between the OceanFirst Foundation, the BlueClaws and 92.7 WOBM and Beach Radio 1160 & 1310.  The charity partners are matched with a specific inning and every time a BlueClaws player hits a home run at FirstEnergy Park the charity with that inning earns a $1,000 donation.

This tenth season was by far the best with both the Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial Fund and the Jewish Family and Children Service of Southern New Jersey receiving $10,000. They both had the 4th inning.  Not far behind were the Citizens Veterans Advisory Committee and the Veterans of Foreign Wars who each received $8000; they were co-owners of the 5th inning.

The other participants were American Red Cross, Army Emergency Relief, Cape May County Coast Guard Community Foundation, Catholic Charities Community Services, Chariot Riders, GI Go Fund, National Guard State Family Readiness Council, Navy-Marine Corp Relief Society, Operation First Response and VetGroup.   All fourteen organizations received their awards during a ceremony last week at FirstEnergy Park.

Katherine Durante, Executive Director of OceanFirst Foundation said the $78,000 donated this year brings the ten year total to $338,000 awarded to help bring needed relief to local military families with special needs.

WOBM and Townsquare Media are honored to be part of this program and work with OceanFirst Foundation and the BlueClaws to support those who protect our freedom…now and in the past.

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