Player Management International Media Release
Contact: Georgeen Richardson
Chattanooga, TN (November 21, 2007) – When Player Management International CEO Doug Barnette received a call from a friend asking him to travel to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip, he jumped at the opportunity.
Last week, Barnette traveled with a group of people that included Yankees’ players Mariano Rivera, Andy Phillips and Ian Kennedy, along with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Stults to Santo Domingo. They were also accompanied by baseball coaches, pastors and businessmen. They made the trip with SCORE International, which is a ministry that exposes people to short term missions and helps to develop great relationships between local churches in the United States and foreign missionaries.
“It was a great opportunity to serve God in another capacity and experience how God’s love has positively impacted a country that was recently hit by Hurricane Noel,” Barnette said. “I’m so glad Dell (Hamilton) called and asked me to make the trip because not only did I establish new friendships, but I was able to serve God in the mission field and be a part of what SCORE International has done for the Dominican Republic. SCORE is a fantastic ministry and I am truly humbled to be a part of it.”
He continued, “I believe that God has put each of us where we are in life for a reason. I believe that the Lord has placed me in this position in sports so that I can use what I’ve accomplished to share the love and forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers. I always tell people that if you don’t believe in God, then come see my life and you will quickly become a believer. I have an incredible wife and kids and a life I don’t deserve, so I wake up thanking the Lord every day for the opportunities that He has blessed me with.”
Along with having baseball clinics throughout the area, the men in attendance also assisted in disaster relief efforts for the Dominican people. Several tons of food was given away, as well as over $38,000 in cash donations that had been raised by SCORE International.
Aside from baseball clinics and disaster relief, the men would open each morning with a devotion from Wendell Kempton, and each evening ended with a challenge from Ken Witten, Pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa.
For more information on SCORE International, please visit: www.scoreinternational.org.