New Leaf Brands recently made a large donation of their iced teas for a weekend baseball tournament charity fundraiser hosted by the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation held in Batavia, NY over Memorial Weekend. The third annual Michael Napoleone Memorial Baseball tournament held at the Batavia Minor League and Little League complex on May 28-30 was a great success as teams from many Western New York cities, including Pittsford, Penfield, Avon, Fairport, Victor, Amherst and Batavia, competed in two different age brackets. The weekend weather was some of the hottest days of the year. Thanks to the generosity of New Leaf Brands, the large crowds were able to enjoy all the flavors of New Leaf Brands iced teas. The teas helped the Foundation raise additional money which will be used for a variety of causes to “lend a hand for hope” to those families struggling with the reality and expenses of caring for a child with cancer.
Michael Napoleone Foundation Board Member, Jeff Klips, stated, “We would like to formally thank Eric Skae and the generosity of the New Leaf Brands organization,” Mr. Klips continued, “Eric wanted to give us even more tea to help us raise funds, but we thought we had enough. As it turns out, the teas were a smashing success and sold out very quickly. Pediatric cancers are a devastating illness and we are very excited to use the monies generated from the sales to help another family in need as they cope with all aspects of life that accompany having a child with cancer.”
Eric Skae, CEO of New Leaf Brands, commented, “At New Leaf, we believe in giving back to the community. When we heard the story of Michael Napoleone and the way the community rallied around their family and all the good things that the Foundation has done since, we wanted to help in any way that we could.” Mr. Skae also stated, “Although we were ecstatic to hear that the teas were a great success, it really isn’t about promoting our product. The donation was made to give to a great cause and we were glad to help the Michael Napoleone Foundation and the incredible people who work so hard to support it.”
The Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation, Inc., established in 2007, is in memory of Michael C. Napoleone, the eight year-old son of Mark and Laurie Napoleone from Batavia, NY who died from Burkitt’s Lymphoma/Leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer. During Michael’s illness, the community rallied around the family to assist with food, gas, medical bills and other necessities. The not-for-profit foundation, a 501(c) 3 organization, was created to give back to those who cared, to give forward to those in need, and to support research efforts in finding a cure for childhood cancer.
More information about New Leaf Brands can be found on their newly redesigned website at www.newleafbrands.com.
To learn more about the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation and to “Lend a Hand for Hope,” please visit the Foundation’s website at www.michaelshope.org.
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