Business Briefs

Radio station 95.9 WRAT “The RAT,” a Greater Media radio station, honored 25 exceptional youngsters from Monmouth and Ocean counties as “Kids Who Rock” during an awards banquet May 24 at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch.

Each week from Feb. 28 to May 13, WRAT encouraged listeners to write a recommendation for a child who they believe is an “extraordinary kid.” The nominees range in age from 8 to 16 and were presented with special awards and prizes for doing something remarkable in the local community, taking action for a cause they believe in, or changing someone’s life for the better.

The keynote speaker was John Mclean, the New Jersey Devils’ all-time leading scorer and current assistant coach. The event also featured a silent auction to raise money for Special Olympics of New Jersey.

Youngsters from the local area who were honored are Brick residents Stephen Bogan, T.J. Janicky and Jaclyn Janicky; and Toms River residents Alexandra Gerhauser and Courtney Good.

The Grand Slam We Care Foundation and its two member organizations, the Lakewood BlueClaws and the Trenton Thunder Minor League Baseball teams, are once again teaming up with Wachovia Bank for the charitable community initiative called the Educational Winners Circle.

The program helps fund educational opportunities for children in the Ocean and Monmouth county area along with the Trenton community.

The BlueClaws and Thunder donate 5 cents from every ticket sold during their respective seasons, and Wachovia Bank matches each donation from the two ballparks. The program is entering its 11th year and has raised more than $500,000 for children on the Jersey Shore and in the greater Trenton area.

Organizations may apply for Educational Winners Circle Grants from either the BlueClaws or the Thunder. Each team offers a $25,000 main grant, with the remaining dollars split between two or more nonprofit groups in each region.

Last year, the BlueClaws’ primary grant of $25,000 was awarded to Family & Children’s Service, Oakhurst, while CPC Behavioral Healthcare, Red Bank, and Children’s Home Society, Lakewood, split nearly $20,000 in remaining funds.

The Boys and Girls Club of Trenton/Mercer County was the main recipient for the Thunder, and the other recipients were the Young Scholars Institute PREP Program and Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic’s Trenton “Learning Through Listening” program.

Interested organizations can print an application for either team from the “upcoming events” page on www.grandslamwecare.org. Details: (732) 901-7000 or (609) 394-3300. Interested parties may also e-mail requests to info@blueclaws.com, subject: Educational Winner’s Circle.

The Lakewood BlueClaws organization is the Single-A South Atlantic League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Trenton Thunder is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.