Cleveland Indians Manager Impacts Community Off the Field

Cleveland Indians Manager Manny Acta loves life. It's that simple. The guy has such a great attitude that you can't help but be positive around him. His willingness to help others is quite contagious.
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BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 30: Manager Manny Acta #11 of the Cleveland Indians and former player Frank Robinson talk before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 30, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 30: Manager Manny Acta #11 of the Cleveland Indians and former player Frank Robinson talk before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 30, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Cleveland Indians Manager Manny Acta loves life. It's that simple. The guy has such a great attitude that you can't help but be positive around him. His willingness to help others is quite contagious.

Acta, who is far from being a native Clevelander, has taken his love of life into the Cleveland community; a community he has embraced since becoming manager of the Indians in 2010. In the past month alone, Manny has impacted lives in more ways than one.

Prior to a recent game, Manny took time away from his family and his busy schedule to visit University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in downtown Cleveland. He visited with nearly 20 sick children and made it a point to talk with each of them for a few minutes as a group and individually, to add a personal touch.

Along with chatting and taking photos, Manny brought goodie bags for each child and made sure to autograph anything and everything they wanted. He even signed enough items for them to take home to their siblings!

Before leaving the hospital, Acta reinforced the message to each child that they were going to be okay and to stay positive. That undeniably, positive attitude stuck with the children as they all went back to their rooms with smiles on their faces.

Manny Acta wasn't done yet! You see, Manny also has a foundation of his own called the ImpACTA Kids Foundation. He launched the foundation in 2007 and its focus is to provide opportunities for kids to achieve their dreams, both in the Dominican Republic and the United States, by emphasizing the importance of education, health and athletics.

The ImpACTA Kids Foundation partnered with Cleveland Indians Charities to host the 2nd Annual Celebrity Bowling Fundraiser. Fans had the opportunity to purchase a bowling team where they could bowl with 5 of their friends and a Cleveland celebrity. The funds raised from the event went towards providing scholarship opportunities for kids in Cleveland, building homes in Acta's native country of the Dominican Republic and to help other needy children in both areas.

Mark Shapiro, Indians President, Paul Dolan, CEO, and numerous members of the active roster were also on hand to bowl, sign autographs and take photos with the fans. .

"It's really great and all it takes is a couple of hours of your time to come out here and interact with people and have fun," said Indians pitcher Vinnie Pestano when asked about the event.

Manny was pleased with the turnout. "I grew up in a very poor community, and my dream was that if I was ever in a position to help out, I was going to. Everyone's support shows that people really care, and are really willing to make an impact in other people's lives."

Sounds to me like Manny's contagious attitude strikes again!

For more information on the ImpACTA Kids Foundation and Cleveland Indians Charities, go to www.impactakids.org and www.indians.com/community, respectively.

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