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Dallas Cowboys And Reliant Raise 86K For The Salvation Army

The 10th annual Reliant Home Run Derby was held on May 3 at Riders Field in Frisco
2023 Reliant Home Run Derby with the Dallas Cowboys
Photo: Reliant

A number of Dallas Cowboys traded footballs for baseballs this week to take part in the Reliant Home Run Derby.

“The Reliant Home Run Derby brings Cowboys Nation together, combining charity and community to create a unique event that’s fun for the whole family,” said Andrea Russell, vice president of Reliant in a press release.

The 10th annual charity competition was held on May 3 at Riders Field in Frisco with fans in attendance.

The baseball derby saw a number of Cowboys take their turn at the bat, as well as the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Chowboyz and Rhythm and Blues perform.

“For 10 years, the Dallas Cowboys and Reliant have come together to raise money for a good cause, while having fun and entertaining Cowboys fans at the same time,” said Charlotte Jones, executive vice president and chief brand officer for the Dallas Cowboys. “We’re grateful to our fans, players, and Reliant for making this amazing event bigger and better year after year.”

The event was held in benefit of the Salvation Army and raised $86,500. The electricity provider, Reliant, organized the event and also donated $113,000 to 23 local nonprofit organizations.

“While most people know Reliant as an electricity provider, we also care deeply about our community and are committed to making a positive impact. Now in our 10th year, we are honored to once again team up with the Dallas Cowboys to support outstanding North Texas nonprofits,” said Russell.

Several local students were invited to participate in the event, including one student from Gene and Jerry Jones Family Youth Education Town who earned the opportunity to throw out the first pitch.

Mascots from all three organizations — Rowdy, the Cowboys’ mascot, Shieldy, The Salvation Army’s mascot and Reliant’s mascot, Hugo — joined the fun.

The Salvation Army Band also performed the national anthem.

Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch was named the 2023 derby champion for the second consecutive year. The full Dallas Cowboys lineup included:

  • Brandin Cooks
  • Trevon Diggs
  • Jake Ferguson
  • Stephon Gilmore
  • CeeDee Lamb
  • Zack Martin
  • Osa Odighizuwa
  • Micah Parsons
  • Dak Prescott
  • Leighton Vander Esch

In addition to the Cowboys’ performance, Reliant also invited local media to try their hand at bat in the annual Reliant Home Run Derby Media League. The event raised $17,100 for nonprofits of their choice. The lineup and their charities included:

  • Bri Amaranthus, Sports Illustrated supporting Tango Charities Feed the City
  • Pat Doney, KXAS (NBC) supporting Team Hoyt Texas
  • Tom Gribble, KSCS New Country 96.3 supporting American Diabetes Association
  • Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star-Telegram supporting See It Through Charities
  • Mark “Hawkeye” Louis, KSCS New Country 96.3 supporting Cook Children's Hospital
  • Erik Mora, KXTX (Telemundo) supporting Isla Urbana
  • Shannon Murray, KDFW (FOX) supporting Girls on the Run DFW
  • Brittany Rainey, KTVT (CBS) supporting Saving Hope Animal Rescue
  • Kyle Roberts, WFAA (ABC) supporting ManeGait Therapeutic Horsemanship
  • Rick Rogers, Star Local Media supporting Refresh Frisco
  • Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com supporting American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
  • Steve Noviello, KDFW (FOX) supporting Grant Halliburton Foundation served as the emcee of the Media League event

In 2022, Reliant donated $4 million to causes across Texas, with employees giving more than 4,000 volunteer hours to over 200 community programs. For more information, click here.