GARY, Ind. - The Gary SouthShore RailCats Baseball Club, in conjunction with 19 charitable organizations within the city of Gary, donated 450 turkeys to needy families at U. S. Steel Yard Monday afternoon.

Over the past several weeks the RailCats circulated turkey vouchers to their partner charities - including The Salvation Army, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and Metro Corps - and those organizations distributed the vouchers to families in need this holiday season.  The recipients of the vouchers were directed to U. S. Steel Yard Monday from 2 - 5 p.m., where RailCats Owner/CEO Pat Salvi, RailCats infielder Mike Rohde, Rusty the RailCat and members of the RailCats front office staff unloaded and passed out the turkeys.

"My wife, Lindy, and I decided we would do this for families that could use a helping hand this holiday season," Salvi said. "This community has been very nice to us and we wanted to show our appreciation on behalf of the Salvi family and the entire RailCats organization."

U. S. Steel Yard is the city-owned home of the Gary SouthShore RailCats, Northwest Indiana's premier professional sports franchise.  The RailCats have attracted more than one million fans to The Steel Yard since the ballpark opened in 2003 and have been consistently committed to the revitalization of Gary, Indiana.  In conjunction with U. S. Steel Gary Works, the RailCats Homefield Advantage Foundation - the club's banner charity - will donate at least $875,000 to youth baseball and softball organizations in Gary.