Griffons host food and new toy drives

Submitted Photo Aimee Meyer, Director of Business Development and Marketing (left) and Ross Lawrence (right), LPL Financial Advisor at Hoffman Financial Resources pose with donated food items at the annual Griffons Ice Cream Social, June 28.

The ice cream was melting fast at the 13th annual Night at the Griffons sponsored by Hoffman Financial Resources, on June 28. Each year, Greg Hoffman and his team sponsor a Griffons game and offer ice cream sundaes and bouncy house fun for the fans.

Guests attending the event were encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for donation to Community Outreach, the Nevada food pantry. An impressive number of items were donated by the 437 game attendees, officials said.

"We have sponsored this event for over 13 years and love to see the participation grow every year," Greg Hoffman said. "I'm also proud to see the community take an opportunity to give back. We collect hundreds of items to donate at the game every year."

The evening closed with a win for the Griffons by a final score of 10-5, over the Kansas City Monarchs.

For more information on Community Outreach, call 417-667-4339.

Hoffman Financial Resources is not affiliated with Community Outreach. Hoffman and Ross Lawrence, of Hoffman Financial Resources, are financial advisors with, and securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC.

Community Outreach is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by LPL Financial.

That wasn't the only special event the Griffons will host to benefit those in need. The Griffons and Vernon County Ambulance District have come together to support the Vernon County Community Toy Drive with Christmas in July.

On Thursday, at 7 p.m., admission to the game will be free for everyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy or monetary donation for the 2013 toy drive. The Griffons will continue their battle for first place in the Mink League South Division against the Sedalia Bombers.

The Bombers currently sit just one game behind Nevada in the division standings after the Griffons defeated Omaha by a final score of 9-2 and the Bombers beat St. Joseph, 3-2, in 14 innings Tuesday. Both teams had the day off Wednesday, and with a race as close as the one Nevada and Sedalia are engaged in, Thursday's winner is guaranteed to come out of the night with at least a share of the South Division lead, no matter how the final outcome turns out.

The Vernon County Community Toy Drive helped in excess of 500 area children during the 2012 Christmas season and more than 10,000 children in the past 24 years. All toys and monetary donations will be given to the Vernon County Ambulance District and the Toy Drive to be distributed across the area during the 2013 Christmas season.