New York — Canon U.S.A. donated $730,000 to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) prior to Tuesday night’s ballgame between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins, here at Yankee Stadium.
During pre-game ceremonies, Canon U.S.A.’s president/CEO Yoroku Adachi presented John Walsh, founder of NCMEC and host of the television series “America’s Most Wanted,” with the $730,000 check donated and raised by Canon on behalf of NCMEC. Walsh then will presented Adachi and Canon U.S.A. with the “Making the World Safer for Children” award in recognition of Canon’s ongoing commitment to protecting children.
In a prepared statement, Adachi said, “Through our partnership with NCMEC and the Yankees, we hope to bring attention to this very important cause, as well as provide effective child protection information and resources to parents and law enforcement.”
Through its Canon4Kids program, Canon educates parents and guardians with photo tips on how to best take and maintain updated photos of their children. With time being a critical element in helping law enforcement locate missing children, digital photos can be transmitted and displayed instantly across a wider geographic area faster increasing the possibility a child will be successfully located.
In cooperation with Canon4Kids, Canon sponsors the New York Yankees “Tag-A-Kid Program.” Through this initiative, wristbands are offered at customer service booth locations throughout the Stadium to assist security personnel in identifying seating locations of lost children and reuniting them with their parents. Promotion of the program is featured on the centerfield matrix and DiamondVision boards, as well as on the LED side scoreboards.
The current Canon4Kids program also features pictures of missing children along with the NCMEC hotline in various venues. As part of the effort, PGA Tour golfer Briny Baird and Ladies PGA Tour golfer Michelle McGann each place a photo of a local missing child on their golf bags during each tournament in which they play.
Canon U.S.A. and NCMEC have collaborated since 1997 to raise public awareness about the growing issue of child abduction. Canon has provided photographic and printing products to law enforcement agencies to aid in the recovery of missing children. For more information about NCMEC, please visit www.missingkids.com or call the hotline at (800) THE-LOST.
Since 2000, Canon has been a sponsor of the New York Yankees. In 2004, Canon increased its presence at Yankee Stadium with an outfield billboard sign measuring 32 feet long by 8 feet high on the left field wall. In addition, Canon continues to receive exposure on signage behind home plate during the top half of the sixth inning. Concourse dioramas featuring Canon print advertising are also displayed on the field level of the Stadium, with a television commercial featured as part of pre-game exposure on the DiamondVision board. Canon’s sponsorship also includes the “Official Printer, Copier and SLR Camera of the New York Yankees” designation.
The check presentation was held as part of Canon’s annual promotional night. The first 18,000 fans (age 18 and over) received a photo keychain with the Canon and Yankees logos.
(By the way the Yankees blanked the Twins 4-0 behind eight innings of shutout pitching by Randy Johnson.)
