baseball campaign turns fast strikes into fast relief for American Red Cross

   (ARA) - For many, summer means warm weather, hot dogs and baseball games with friends and family. And depending on which team you’re rooting for, an umpire yelling “strike” usually leads to cheering. During the 2011 Major League Baseball season, strikes are a reason to cheer no matter which team you’re cheering for.

   Speed Up Your Relief is a new campaign from the makers of Bayer Advanced Aspirin, the “Official Pain Reliever of Major League Baseball,” that turns fast strikes into donations for the American Red Cross. Bayer has pledged to donate $10 to the Red Cross for every strike 95 mph and over thrown during the 2011 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular and post season, up to a total of $150,000. 

   But you don’t need to be a professional baseball player to help make the Speed Up Your Relief campaign a home run. While the pitchers generate donations with fast strikes, fans can pitch in by making donations on SpeedUpYourRelief.com. They also can track fast strikes resulting in donations and play an online fantasy baseball game developed by MLB.com for a chance to win $10,000 or an all-inclusive dream baseball vacation, courtesy of Bayer. 

   “The makers of Bayer Advanced Aspirin and the Red Cross share a long-standing history in providing relief to those in need,” says Charley Shimanski, senior vice president, Disaster Services, American Red Cross. “Beyond monetary donations, Speed Up Your Relief will also help raise awareness of the importance of fast relief for those affected by disasters and encourage others to get involved.” 

   Donations raised through Speed Up Your Relief will help the Red Cross provide fast relief in the form of food, shelter, emotional support, health services, clean-up supplies and comfort items to those in need. In fact, donations of $150,000 can provide one hot meal to as many as 15,000 disaster victims. The Red Cross relies on generous donations like those provided through the campaign to help those affected by the nearly 70,000 disasters each year. Since March 2011, the organization has launched 46 relief operations in 31 states. 

   Earlier this summer, Bayer Advanced Aspirin was introduced as a new pain relief option clinically proven to relieve pain twice as fast as previous Bayer Aspirin tablets. As Major League Baseball athletes share the same qualities of the new pain reliever - speed and strength - Bayer and the MLB teamed up to designate Bayer Advanced Aspirin the “Official Pain Reliever of Major League Baseball.” 

   Visit SpeedUpYourRelief.com to learn how you can step up to the plate to speed up relief and make a donation to the American Red Cross.