To express their gratitude to disabled military veterans for their service, CVS Caremark and the Boston Red Sox teamed up at Fenway Park Wednesday (July 3) in honor of Independence Day for a special batting camp for veterans from across New England.
Among the participating veterans was Shelton’s George Eldridge and Derby’s George French, both veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Through the CVS Caremark Baseball Camp, the veterans received all-star treatment at Fenway Park — working closely with Boston Red Sox Hitting Coach Greg Colbrunn and Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez, taking swings at the Green Monster and enjoying lunch in the Red Sox dugout.
The veterans were also treated to a behind the scenes tour of the ballpark, as well as tickets to the evening’s game against the San Diego Padres.
Below, from left to right in the front are: Marine Corps Veteran and Shelton resident George Eldridge and Army Veteran and West Haven resident Sean Pesce. From left to right in the back are: Boston Red Sox Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez; Boston Red Sox Hitting Coach Greg Colbrunn; Boston Red Sox Catcher Ryan Lavarnway; and Marine Corps Veteran and Derby resident George French.
Boston Red Sox Hitting Coach Greg Colbrunn (on left) and Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez (on right) posed with Derby resident and Marine Corps Veteran George French on the field:
French also got to swing for the Green Monster:
Eldridge with Colbrunn and Rodriguez of the Red Sox:
“Creating this special opportunity at Fenway Park is one small way we can honor area military veterans for their service to our country, and we’re excited to celebrate Independence Day with them,” said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of corporate communications and community relations for CVS Caremark. “It’s heartwarming to see these brave men and women enjoying a day of fun, camaraderie and one of America’s favorite pastimes. This is our third season of partnering with the Red Sox on this initiative for veterans and we’re thrilled to offer them this unique opportunity to spend a day in the life of a major league ballplayer.”
Jenny McLaughlin, adaptive sports case manager of the VA Boston Healthcare System, said, “It’s an honor to be able to work with CVS Caremark and the Red Sox to provide such a special event for our Nation’s Heroes. Each and every Veteran looked forward to this event and were honored to be invited to participate.”
Over the years, CVS Caremark has provided charitable support to military and veteran-focused organizations, including the National Guard, Fisher House, Operation Military Embrace and the USO. The company has also worked with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program to identify and hire veterans, and has established a colleague resource group for veterans – called Valor – within CVS Caremark.
Photos courtesy of Constance Brown.
