Between the ages 5 and 17, Erie Insurance Agent Brian McCollum spent a lot of time on the baseball diamond as part of the Hilltop Babe Ruth Little League team in Havertown, Pa. (That’s him sitting on the very bottom right in the picture above.) Brian, owner of McCollum Insurance Agency in Philadelphia, Pa., said the experience benefitted him in more ways than one.
“I met lifelong friends through Little League and have so many great memories,” he recalls. “I also learned the value of teamwork and sportsmanship.”
Those memories and lifelong lessons are something he wants today’s generation of little league players to experience as well. That desire led him to coach various youth baseball teams over the years and to sponsor his old Little League and elementary school baseball teams.
That involvement gave Brian a glimpse into the unfortunate fact that many young players’ families struggle to buy the proper gear. “I was shocked at the need that existed for gloves, bats and more,” said Brian. “I was thinking about another way to give back to the community, and I thought it would be a good idea to collect gloves that people were no longer using.”
Brian started Mitts for Kids in 2010. So far, he’s collected and distributed more than 200 baseball mitts to disadvantaged players throughout the Philadelphia area. He’s also collected dozens of other items such as bases, bats and other equipment.
“The response has been wonderful, and it feels great to be able to help so many kids and teams in our area,” said Brian.
Erie Insurance Agents have a long and proud history of supporting worthy organizations like Little League. Erie Insurance does as well—in fact, company Founder H.O. Hirt personally supported an Erie Insurance Little League Team.
Read the full story from Erie Insurance: “ERIE Agent Goes to Bat for Underprivileged Little League Players“
