SEATTLE — On June 23, 2018, the Juglife Foundation held the fourth annual Water for Life Charity Softball Game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum to help raise money for people in need of clean water.
Water for Life Charity Softball Game Raises Money for Juglife Foundation
The Water for Life Charity Softball Game featured many prominent athletes, although most of them were more familiar with a basketball court or football field than a baseball diamond. Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch pitched for one team, while Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala pitched for the other. Warriors Stephen Curry and Nick Young along with retired figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and San Francisco 49er Richard Sherman all played as well. Even Oakland’s mayor, Libby Schaaf, stepped in to do some fielding. Tickets to the event ranged from $32 to $120 and memorabilia was auctioned over the course of the event to help raise money for the Juglife Foundation.
Although the participants did not necessarily play well (though Curry did hit a home run by the end of the game), the event was still as fun and impactful as it should have been. Fans that crowded into the stadium, many sporting Warriors gear, were reportedly wholeheartedly entertained. Ultimately, Iguodala’s team came out on top and he was named MVP of the game. However, the mission of the softball game was not to entertain but to raise money for a good cause.
Juglife Promotes Water Access as a Solution to Many Global Issues
JaVale McGee, center for the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors, founded the Juglife Foundation with entrepreneur Kez Reed to promote the importance of water for a healthy life. McGee is also from the town of Flint, Michigan, whose struggles to access clean water are still going on, making clean water an issue that hits home for the basketball star.
The organization addresses two main issues. First and foremost, Juglife exists to fight the worldwide water crisis. More than 780 million people do not have access to a secure source of water, causing illnesses and deaths across the globe. To help solve this issue, Juglife provides clean water to people in parts of the world that do not readily have it. The organization works by first finding the best location to place a new water well that would be most beneficial to local people. Once the well is constructed, Juglife provides education to local people on how to maintain and operate the well before turning ownership of the well over to the community.
The second issue Juglife battles is the soaring rate of obesity, which is an issue in both developed and developing countries. Juglife aims to promote water as part of a healthy and active lifestyle and encourage people to seek out water as a nutritious alternative to high-calorie drinks. The company encourages people to drink a gallon of water each day and share their experiences online with the hashtags #JUGLIFE and #JUGLIFEWATER.
All proceeds from the Water for Life charity softball game will go to the Juglife Foundation so it can continue to bring clean water to people in need and encourage people to be healthier. As Bay Area athletes and celebrities hang up their mitts, fans wait eagerly for next year and another impactful game.
– Sarah Dean
Photo: Google