MoCo Ripken Players Hit Home Run for Manna

Manna Food Executive Director, Jackie DeCarlo, presents the Feed the Hungry Challenge Trophy to Homer. On Saturday July 12, nearly 80 college baseball players from across the county collected 3,940 pounds of food -- nearly two tons -- for the Manna Food Center. The Bethesda Big Train won the Fifth Annual Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League's Feed the Hungry Challenge by collecting 1,198 pounds of food. The Rockville Express collected the most at a single Giant Food Store with 999 pounds. Players from the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts and the Gaithersburg Giants also contributed to the nearly two tons of food collected. In the five years of the competition, the college players have collected 21,622 pounds of food -- more than ten tons of food for Montgomery County's neighbors in need. Thanks to Manna Food Center, Giant Food, the Gazette, and Text Design for supporting this community service program of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League. Jackie DeCarlo with the Big Train and Express before their July 12 game. Here's the history of the Feed the Hungry Challenge over all five years (TOTAL: 21,622 pounds): 2014 - July 12 Bethesda 1,198 Silver Spring-Takoma 1,084 Rockville 999* Gaithersburg 659 TOTAL: 3,940 pounds * Note that Rockville was denied access to one of two stores 2013 - July 13 Rockville 1,858 Bethesda 964 Gaithersburg 890 Silver Spring-Takoma 850 TOTAL: 4,562 pounds 2012 - July 7 Silver Spring-Takoma 1,863 Rockville 1,621 Bethesda 1,356 TOTAL: 4,840 pounds 2011 - June 18 Rockville 1,660 Bethesda 1,562 Silver Spring-Takoma 1,432 TOTAL: 4,654 pounds 2010 - June 12 Rockville 1,658 Bethesda 1,166 Silver Spring-Takoma 802 TOTAL: 3,626 pounds