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The Peoria Diamond Club is accepting volunteer applications for the 2021 MLB spring training season.
The PDC provides the labor force for the Major League Baseball teams Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres spring training games at the Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Ave. The spring training season games are from Feb. 27-March 30, 2021.
In turn, the teams give funding to the PDC to implement a yearlong grant program benefitting many youth charities and organizations in the West Valley. PDC gave more than $101,000 in the last fiscal year and surpassed the $2 million mark since its 1994 inception.
Individuals interested in joining the PDC team to volunteer, sponsor or donate can visit www.peoriadiamondclub.org to fill out an application or receive more information on the many ways to help.
"We hope you will come out to spring training baseball and have some fun," said Roz Shanley, PDC General Manager. "Please be a part of giving back to the community."
While the Arizona Cactus League has released the 2021 schedule of spring training games, MLB and the city of Peoria have not announced specifics, if games will have crowds and what that will look like for the upcoming season.
In the meantime, the PDC is preparing for best-case scenarios to properly staff the Peoria Sports Complex.
Editor’s note: We regard the publishing of a newspaper as a public trust. As servants of the public, we owe the public candor and honesty regarding our performance. Ms. Bisson is publisher of Independent Newsmedia. She is the president of the Peoria Diamond Club. She can be reached at cbisson@newszap.com.
Charlene Bisson joined Independent Newsmedia in 1999, starting her career as a journalist.
She became publisher of the West Valley during the Great Recession and later promoted publisher of the Arizona group in 2018. In January 2022, she was promoted to President & CEO of Independent Newsmedia.
She grew up in the West Valley and graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in Business.
Ms. Bisson is passionate about community service. She has served in leadership positions with civic organizations and boards, including Surprise Rotary, the Peoria and Surprise chambers of commerce, the Peoria Diamond Club, and the Arizona Newspapers Association.
She currently serves on the Arizona Media Association and Phoenix Children's West Valley boards.
She lives in Peoria with her husband and children.