By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

The Prep Baseball Report is proud to support Operation Hawkeye: STRIKE FORCE, a fundraising campaign founded by Will Thomas, a senior right-handed pitcher at Gonzaga College HS in Washington D.C.

Operation Hawkeye’s STRIKE FORCE is a youth-led campaign leveraging baseball pitching prowess to elevate awareness of the service and sacrifice of America’s special operations community, and raise funds for participation by teenage children of the Fallen (Gold Star teens) in programs tailored to their needs by the nonprofit Gold Star Teen Adventures (GSTA).

Along with Thomas, five other pitchers from Virginia and Maryland are using baseball to rally others in support of the military’s special operations community. STRIKE FORCE pitchers and fundraisers are actively seeking monetary pledges and donations at https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce. Every pledge and donation increases the value of each strikeout thrown by the STRIKE FORCE, and everyone who makes a pledge or donation is automatically entered for a chance to win one of several prizes donated by Marucci Sports, Jugs Sports, and others.

Thomas, who launched Operation Hawkeye in 2011, said: “We set out to throw 130 strikeouts during the campaign - one for each of the 130 Gold Star teens seeking to participate in a GSTA program this year. The STRIKE FORCE surpassed that benchmark last weekend and their current total stands at 146.”

Since 2011, Thomas’ Operation Hawkeye has raised over $500,000 in monetary and in-kind support for over a dozen charities dedicated to special operations causes. Aside from raising money, the goal for Thomas’ national grassroots mission has been to honor the sacrifices of special operations warriors, inform others of their heroism, and spur actions in support of their families. Operation Hawkeye teammates use sport, social media, and other resources to raise awareness and rally emotional and financial assistance for the special operations community. To learn more about Operation Hawkeye, go to www.OpHawkeye.com and follow related mission platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The Prep Baseball Report is pleased to be a STRIKE FORCE Partner and will donate $5 to GSTA for every subscription purchased between September 15, 2016, and completion of the STRIKE FORCE campaign on October 31, 2016. Further, Prep Baseball Report will place a $1 donation (up to $500) to GSTA for every pledge or donation made via the STRIKE FORCE campaign page, https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce.

Why help this cause?

Since 1980, over 1,000 heroes have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, including Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets and Rangers and Night Stalker aviators, Air Force pararescuemen and combat controllers, and Marine Raiders. When they died, whether in training or on the battlefield many of these warriors left behind loved ones, including teenage sons and daughters The Fallen deserve our gratitude, and their children our support.

How will the STRIKE FORCE campaign aid children of fallen special operations heroes?

GSTA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN 90-0998030) that provides adventure camps to the surviving youth of special operations personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. Every GSTA program is grounded on the pillars of character and leadership development, mentorship, opportunity, and healing. To learn more about GSTA, a Guide Star Gold Participant, see www.gstadventures.org.

Approximately 130 Gold Star teens from across America hope to attend a GSTA program in 2016. The STRIKE FORCE campaign will help make their wishes come true. Every strikeout thrown in travel competition through October will raise funds to assist these Gold Star teens through a dedicated PLEDGE IT campaign, thanks to the generosity of individuals and enterprises that make pledges per strikeout or one-time donations at https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce.

Who are the Members of the STRIKE FORCE?

The STRIKE FORCE team is made up of three core components:
Pitchers, each of whom is a senior in high school:
- Will Thomas, Gonzaga College High School, Washington, DC (Team Leader)
- Owen Lamon, Oakton High School, VA
- Ronnie Orie, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, MD
- Toma Shigaki-Than, Oakton High School, VA
- Anthony Simonelli, Millbrook High School, VA
- Nick Stewart, Rock Ridge High School, VA

Partners, including baseball (and non-baseball) enterprises and athletes from across America committed to supporting the campaign through monetary and/or in-kind donations

Fundraisers, including individuals, teams, and others who support the campaign by encouraging others to contribute

Where can one donate or pledge?

STRIKE FORCE members are soliciting donations/pledges at https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce.

Supporters have the option of using the campaign portal to place a one-time flat donation or make a pledge per strikeout at one of the following tiers: .25; .50; $1.00; $2.50; or a custom amount.

The STRIKE FORCE also offers a branded Marucci performance tee for sale at https://strikeforce.itemorder.com/sale, with proceeds benefiting the cause.

I play baseball but am not a STRIKE FORCE pitcher. Can I still make an impact?

Become a Fundraiser. Anyone who would like to support this cause can play a meaningful role by becoming a Fundraiser athttps://pledgeit.org/strikeforce/fundraise. The process is simple, and you can use the page to reach out to family and friends, teammates, neighbors, and followers via social media. Fundraisers will also be recognized on the STRIKEFORCE Leaderboard and have a chance to win prizes donated by STRIKEFORCE partners.

Purchase a STRIKE FORCE performance tee at https://strikeforce.itemorder.com/sale

Spread the word. You can also play a huge part by supporting the campaign as it unfolds on social media and sharing related developments and news with your friends and followers, especially on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Some of the hashtags to use and follow include #OpHawkeyeSTRIKEFORCE, #STRIKEFORCE, and #baseballisntfree.

I coach baseball. How can I make an impact?

Share the story of the STRIKE FORCE with your team and use it as a vehicle to inform your players about the service and sacrifice of America’s ultimate high performance team athletes: special operators. And as importantly, use the STRIKE FORCE to illustrate that every player on your roster has it within to make a difference in the lives of others.

Pledge a donation per strikeout or of a flat amount at https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce.

Purchase a STRIKE FORCE performance tee at https://strikeforce.itemorder.com/sale.

Become a Fundraiser. Coaches can use https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce/fundraise to solicit donations/pledges from others.

Spread the word. Share word of STRIKE FORCE with other coaches and those in leading baseball organizations. Help promote the cause by sharing related developments and news with others, especially on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Some of the hashtags to use and follow include #OpHawkeyeSTRIKEFORCE, #STRIKEFORCE, and #baseballisntfree.

We are in the baseball business and believe in the cause. How can we make a difference?

The STRIKE FORCE actively seeks Partners, focusing on enterprises that believe in the cause, like the idea of supporting a youth-led endeavor involving baseball, and see an opportunity to “do well by doing good” through this initiative. Some of the ways in which Partners can make a significant contribution to the campaign are listed below:

Pledge a donation per strikeout or of a flat amount at https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce.

Pledge a matching donation tied to the donations of others, e.g., dollar for dollar, capped or uncapped.

Donate product/s to serve as an incentive to spur donations by others.

Donate signed item/s to be awarded to spur participation and/or donations by others, e.g., via drawing at the end of the campaign.

Facilitate introductions to other baseball enterprises/athletes.

Promote the campaign via social media platforms.

Pledge your support here: https://pledgeit.org/strikeforce

For further information on Operation Hawkeye STRIKE FORCE, please contact Will Thomas ([email protected]; 703.964.7255).