Kind-hearted Giants

San Francisco - The San Francisco Giants raised US$109,650 for the tsunami relief effort through a two-day silent auction on the team's Web site that included a personal meeting in the dugout with Barry Bonds. There also were four other "once-in-a-lifetime" experiences available in the auction that ended late Friday.

All the funds are going to organisations doing tsunami disaster relief work in South Asia. The winners of each item will be able to direct the money to the charity of their choice. The meeting with Bonds went for US$30,200 and will give the winner and three guests the opportunity to sit with the slugger in the Giants' dugout before a game this season and have a group picture taken. The four will also get tickets to the game and the opportunity to watch batting practice from the dugout.

The other four experiences were throwing out the first pitch on opening day (winning bid US$26,400), an all-expenses paid trip to spring training in Arizona for four (US$25,050), the chance to swing at 10 pitches off a Giants starting pitcher (US$14,975), and a pre-game breakfast with manager Felipe Alou (US$13,025).

Bonds is also making a donation through his foundation, equally dividing the funding between UNICEF and AmeriCares. "Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tremendous tragedy and we should all come together to make every effort to donate in some capacity," said Bonds, the seven-time NL MVP.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin