The Dream organization is committed to giving back to the community within we live and play. This provides the opportunity for players to learn about sharing and helping others. This page is dedicated to the events and activities our organization and teams have an will participate in as we reach out and support our community.

Tom Jones Challenger League All-Star Event

Every year the Champaign Dream help the stars of the Tom Jones Challenger League in Champaign-Urbana play on the big stage. The league holds a double header at Eichelberger Field in Urbana, home of University of Illinois Softball. 

 

The league, which is led by the Champaign-Urbana Kiwanis Club, caters to kids with physical or mental challenges, and one of the organizers of Thursday's event, Mike Namoff, said it's all about raising awareness.

 

Tom Jones Challenger League

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

    

Harrisburg, Illinois (Tornado Relief Effort)

The Champaign Dream is organizing a community project with WCIA, the United Way, and the Illinois baseball team to help out tornado victims in Harrisburg, Illinois. All Dream members and any their friends or family are asked to provide food, money, or any combination. All items/donations can be dropped off at Illinois field anytime from 6:00 am-7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 14th. The United Way has identified a need for the following:

Applesauce, Canned Fruit, Canned Potatoes, Canned Ravioli, Macaroni and Cheese, Peanut Butter, Pop Tarts, 5 lbs. Bag of Sugar, Gift cards to Wal-Mart and/or Rural King, and any amount of cash donations.

 

Some Dream parents have agreed to drive the collected donation to Harrisburg. This community project ties the Dream with Illinois baseball because the Illini have a player from Harrisburg on their current roster. This project is a good opportunity for the Champaign Dream to give back to the community by helping those in need. Please drop off your donations and take part in helping others. See you all Wednesday.

Dream Raises $1,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation

On June 3-5, 2011, the Champaign Dream 12U baseball team, with support from several local businesses, helped raise more than $1,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Dream baseball team and parents wore special “Make-A-Wish” jerseys during the Orange & Blue Classic Tournament in Champaign, which the team won, to help publicize the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The effort was featured on local television news broadcasts on WCIA (CBS) and WICD (ABC). A big thank you to the coaches for pulling this effort together and to the sponsors who helped this wonderful cause; Martin Hood Friese & Associates, LLC, Campus Sportswear, Canadian National, South Shore Auto Service, Hoveln Heating & Cooling, Inc., Schum Law Offices, Toyota of Danville, This is it Furniture, and Dean Graphics.

Champaign Dream Raises $5,000 for Relay for Life

On Saturday June 27, 2009, nearly 100 people attended the Rely for Life event at Centennial High School wearing their "Dream for a Cure" shirt or jersey. Through the support of these individuals, as well as many other friends, family, and community members, the Champaign Dream Youth Baseball Organization was able to raise $5,000 in support of Rely for Life. The check was presented to the Rely for Life by Jack Schildman, an 8 year cancer survivor and honorary bat boy for the 10U team.

Dream Supports Tom Jones Challenger League

Many of the Champaign Dream youth baseball teams are volunteering their time to assist with the Tom Jones Challenger League. The league provides a safe opportunity for children 18 and under with varying degrees of physical or mental challenges to participate in baseball. Games are played on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings at Ambucs Park on East University Avenue in Urbana. For additional information about the league or how you can volunteer your time to this worthy cause, please click on the below link.

 Tom Jones Challenger League

Dream Supports Children's Crisis Nursery

One of Champaign Dream's coaches and employee of CN Railroad, Tim Parker, held the CN 8th Anual Golf Open at Ironhorse Golf Course in Tuscola on Saturday, May 2nd. The Champaign Dream Youth Baseball Organization joined Tim Parker in helping prepare and fundraise for this event. This year was again a huge success as the event helped raise $3,100 in proceeds, all of which will be donated to the Champaign-Urbana Children's Crisis nursery. In 8 years of coordinating the event, over $35,000 has been raised for the Children's Crisis Nursery. Thank you Tim for your efforts as well as all those who took part in the event.