The Humboldt Crabs have adopted the stretch of Highway 101 from Giuntoli to Central Avenue to help keep California beautiful.
By Ray Hamill
Photo By Matt Filar
The term “cleanup hitter” is taking on a whole new meaning for Humboldt Crabs Baseball this summer. In an effort to give the team added name recognition in Humboldt County, and to give back to the community, the Crabs have joined forces with Caltrans and the Adopt-A-Highway program.
And that means the club is responsible for maintaining a section of southbound Highway 101 running from just north of Central Avenue in McKinleyville to Giuntoli Lane, including removing any litter on the roadside. "We plan to do it on the second Saturday of each month, depending on the weather," said new Crabs president Matt Filar (pictured, right). The agreement with Caltrans, which runs for three years, began in mid-March and the team has already made a difference with several board members and season ticket holders spending a recent Saturday morning cleaning up the roadside on their sponsored section. During the summer months, several of the players will also be involved. "It's not only a good thing for us to do, but it's also good for the community," said Filar. "People can see that the Crabs are doing something for the community other than just playing baseball." As part of the agreement, the Crabs will be featured on a roadside sign just north of the Central Avenue onramp in McKinleyville on the southbound side of 101.
It's also a way for board members, fans, and players to interact in a different environment.
"It's a good thing for everyone and it gets members of the board and people interested in the Crabs together in different ways other than the board room or the ballpark," said Filar. "It's a social type of thing."
The Adopt-A-Highway program was initiated in 1989 and has been a tremendous success for Caltrans, with more than 120,000 Californians involved over the years, helping to keep highways clean of litter and graffiti, while also planting trees and wildflowers.
And for the Crabs it's not the only way the team name will be in the public eye in the coming months.
With the summer season now less than two months away, the Crabs will also feature in promotional televised spots on Fox Channel 28 as well as some advertisements on Channel KAEF 23, the local ABC affiliate. The promotional spots on Fox will feature Crabs manager Matt Nutter and Humboldt Steelheads manager Grant Manzi, while three different commercials on KAEF will promote the team's annual preseason dinner on June 4, the Crabs summer camps, and opening day on Saturday, June 5.
"We're looking into some different things," said Filar. "I'd like to get as much publicity for the team as possible to get the name out into the community more."
Filar is also hoping to move the team's adopted section of 101 closer to the Arcata Ball Park, although for now the Central Avenue/Giuntoli Lane section is the closest available.
"We'd love to have it closer to the Ball Park, and if something becomes available at some future point we may be able to move," said Filar.
Anyone interested in helping with the cleanup is encouraged to send an email to contact@humboldtcrabs.com
The Humboldt Crabs have adopted the stretch of Highway 101 from Giuntoli to Central Avenue to help keep California beautiful.
By Ray Hamill
Photo By Matt Filar
The term “cleanup hitter” is taking on a whole new meaning for Humboldt Crabs Baseball this summer. In an effort to give the team added name recognition in Humboldt County, and to give back to the community, the Crabs have joined forces with Caltrans and the Adopt-A-Highway program.
And that means the club is responsible for maintaining a section of southbound Highway 101 running from just north of Central Avenue in McKinleyville to Giuntoli Lane, including removing any litter on the roadside. "We plan to do it on the second Saturday of each month, depending on the weather," said new Crabs president Matt Filar (pictured, right). The agreement with Caltrans, which runs for three years, began in mid-March and the team has already made a difference with several board members and season ticket holders spending a recent Saturday morning cleaning up the roadside on their sponsored section. During the summer months, several of the players will also be involved. "It's not only a good thing for us to do, but it's also good for the community," said Filar. "People can see that the Crabs are doing something for the community other than just playing baseball." As part of the agreement, the Crabs will be featured on a roadside sign just north of the Central Avenue onramp in McKinleyville on the southbound side of 101.
It's also a way for board members, fans, and players to interact in a different environment.
"It's a good thing for everyone and it gets members of the board and people interested in the Crabs together in different ways other than the board room or the ballpark," said Filar. "It's a social type of thing."
The Adopt-A-Highway program was initiated in 1989 and has been a tremendous success for Caltrans, with more than 120,000 Californians involved over the years, helping to keep highways clean of litter and graffiti, while also planting trees and wildflowers.
And for the Crabs it's not the only way the team name will be in the public eye in the coming months.
With the summer season now less than two months away, the Crabs will also feature in promotional televised spots on Fox Channel 28 as well as some advertisements on Channel KAEF 23, the local ABC affiliate. The promotional spots on Fox will feature Crabs manager Matt Nutter and Humboldt Steelheads manager Grant Manzi, while three different commercials on KAEF will promote the team's annual preseason dinner on June 4, the Crabs summer camps, and opening day on Saturday, June 5.
"We're looking into some different things," said Filar. "I'd like to get as much publicity for the team as possible to get the name out into the community more."
Filar is also hoping to move the team's adopted section of 101 closer to the Arcata Ball Park, although for now the Central Avenue/Giuntoli Lane section is the closest available.
"We'd love to have it closer to the Ball Park, and if something becomes available at some future point we may be able to move," said Filar.
Anyone interested in helping with the cleanup is encouraged to send an email to contact@humboldtcrabs.com
