Middle school sports in Battle Creek Public Schools are receiving a financial boost of $50,000 thanks to a generous donation. Special guests, including Tony the Tiger and University of Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, visited Springfield Middle School to present the donation. The funds, provided by Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Mission Tiger and Meijer through DonorsChoose.org, will support soccer and softball programs for middle school boys and girls in Battle Creek.

According to Doug VanDeVelde, W.K. Kellogg Co. Chief Growth Officer, several years ago, Tony the Tiger observed that many middle schools were losing funding for sports programs, depriving kids of the opportunity to learn teamwork and sportsmanship. In response, Tony launched Mission Tiger to fund middle school sports and provide kids with the chance to play like tigers.

Kaylee Schultz, Meijer Director of Merchandising for Dry Grocery, also attended the event at Springfield Middle School. School officials noted that thanks to the funds, the school was able to host its first soccer competition last week.

W.K. Kellogg officials reported that Mission Tiger has already supported over 2 million kids across the country. The donation will help more kids in Battle Creek access sports programs and develop important skills through athletic participation.