This weekend, Milwaukee Brewers players and staff took part in random acts of kindness across southeast Wisconsin. The activities ranged from retired star Ryan Braun leading a yoga class for senior citizens to pitcher Abner Uribe handing out mystery boxes with small gifts to fans in the stands. This marks the ninth consecutive year the Brewers organization has sent their team out to spread goodwill throughout the city.
“We have had players pay for gas at convenience stores, cover lunch bills at restaurants, and visit little league games to offer tips and coach,” said Brewers spokesman Tyler Barnes in an email. “Each player and staff member chooses how they want to help.”
Many of the acts were surprises. On Saturday, a barista from Milwaukee, who describes himself on social media as Norwegian-born and raised in New York, shared that a Brewers employee tipped him $500. The employee gave him five $100 bills along with a card saying the team wanted to brighten people’s days.
Some events were coordinated in advance with local organizations, which agreed to keep the details private until after they took place. One such event was Ryan Braun’s visit to the Wilson Park Senior Center on Friday. The six-time All-Star led an aerobics class for seniors that morning, joined by the team’s racing sausage mascots.
Barnes explained that there are no strict rules for what players and staff must do during the “Kindness in MKE” day. Besides the small in-person acts, employees can also donate money to local nonprofits. The team gave away about $50,000 in donations, mostly on Saturday.
The acts of kindness continued at American Family Field before the Brewers’ game against the Minnesota Twins. After the gates opened, around six players, including Uribe, moved through the stands with unmarked boxes. Fans were invited to pick a box, each containing different gifts such as signed baseballs, seat upgrades, or cash. One family’s 1-year-old chose a box with $100 inside.
“Players and staff only ask that recipients pass on kindness,” Barnes said. “They encourage people to do something nice for someone else, especially a stranger or someone who does not expect anything in return. It can be as simple as visiting a lonely neighbor or reading to children at school.”
