Minor League Baseball Teams Unite To Support South Carolina Flood Relief

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - In the wake of the devastating rains and historic flooding that have hit South Carolina over the past week, the four Minor League Baseball teams in South Carolina are coming together to support and raise money for flood victims in the state.

The Charleston RiverDogs, Columbia Fireflies, Greenville Drive and Myrtle Beach Pelicans announced today they have created a joint GoFundMe page, raising funds for the American Red Cross of the Palmetto SC Region.

The four-team statewide alliance will work together to maximize fundraising efforts across the state, utilizing the hashtag #PalmettoStrong. Those wishing to contribute should visit the #PalmettoStrong GoFundMe page at the following link: http://bit.ly/PalmettoStrong. All funds raised through this campaign will be donated to the American Red Cross of the Palmetto Region, which serves the entire state of South Carolina. Each of the four clubs and Minor League Baseball Charities will be contributing $2,500 to the relief efforts. The fundraising goal is $100,000.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley issued a State of Emergency on Thursday. President Barack Obama signed a statewide emergency declaration on Saturday, retroactive to Thursday, authorizing federal aid in anticipation of more rain. As of Tuesday morning, 11 deaths had been reported in the state due to the weather. Some parts of the state have received over two feet of rainfall, and hundreds of miles of roads have been closed in the state.

"South Carolinians are strong and resilient, and we will come together to support each other in this time of incredible need," said RiverDogs EVP/General Manager Dave Echols, Fireflies President John Katz, Drive General Manager Eric Jarinko and Pelicans President/GM Andy Milovich in a joint statement. "The unity within our respective cities and across our great state will shine as a beacon of hope amidst the tragic events of this past weekend, restoring hope to our communities."

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of South Carolina who have been affected by these floods," said Minor League Baseball President & CEO Pat O'Conner. "These communities are great supporters of their local teams and we are happy to assist those in need and support the charitable efforts being organized by these teams."