What do you and I (along with other Braves 400 Club members) have in common with Tim Hudson, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and other Braves players besides loyalty to the Atlanta Braves?  The named players (and 14 others) donate season tickets to the Atlanta Braves Foundation to enable the Braves, through their "Reach Out, Be Our Guest" program, to provide Braves tickets to youngsters who otherwise may not have the opportunity, to attend Braves games.  For some of the youngsters it may be their very first ball game.

Continuing a tradition that began at the beginning of 2007, the 2009 season has the Braves 400 Club donating 300 tickets to this worthwhile effort. .  This is done as a way of fulfilling one of the Club's stated objectives of promoting baseball at all levels.  On multiple occasions this season, youngsters and chaperones will be invited to attend a Braves game as guests of the Braves 400 Club.  Ericka Newsome (Director, Community Affairs & Braves Foundation) and her staff are administering the program for the Braves 400 Club.  In addition to attending the game, our invited guests will (when the schedule permits) have an opportunity to watch batting practice and be greeted by one or two ball players.  What a wonderful way to introduce these young people to Major League Baseball.

Some photos of groups that attended in the past follow.

(l to r) Taffii Vincent, Braves 400 Club President Wayne Coleman, and Brian Thomas
Taffii and Brian escorted a group of youngsters from the Andrew & Walter Young (Southwest) YMCA to the game

Willie Harris and Pete Orr autograph T-shirts for the youngsters

Willie Harris and Pete Orr pose for a group photo

Our favorite usher, Walter Banks, shares some wisdom with the youngsters

Jorge Campillo greeted these fans

Wayne Coleman had a chance to visit with these chaperones during the game

Will this shirt ever be washed again

Mike Gonzalez poses with a Braves 400 Club guest

The announcement on the board lets those attending
the game know of the Braves 400 Club guests