NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, FL — Kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend got the surprise of their lives Saturday morning at a Dunkin' on West Tennessee Street, free tickets to the Savannah Bananas Banana Ball World Tour game in Tallahassee.
WATCH REPORT BELOW:
The children had no idea what was coming when they arrived to meet players from the Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgaters. Instead of just a meet-and-greet, they walked away with tickets to a game that had already sold out.
Braleigh Thomas was one of the kids surprised with tickets.
"I felt happy, and I still do," Thomas said.
Thomas said the moment left her feeling more than just grateful.
"Excited, happy, yeah," Thomas said.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend CEO Kacy Dennis said the event was an example of what's possible when organizations invest in local youth.
"This really shows what can truly happen when organizations like Savannah Banana and Dunkin Donuts really get involved and wrap their arms around the kids in our community, amazing things can happen," Dennis said.
While the kids took in the surprise, Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgaters players stepped behind the counter to serve coffee and donuts. Player Taj Porter said the experience gave him a new set of skills.
"Well, I'm a veteran now behind the counter. Jot it down. Learned how to work the computer. Got the donuts, trained him a little bit. Figured out the drive-through. You know, if banana ball doesn't work out, I got a job. I love it," Porter said.
Player Jimmy Lewis said spreading joy is at the heart of what the players do everywhere they go.
"Happiness, smiles, a lot of fun, and inspiring people, have fun with everything in life, no matter what. Don't take it too serious," Lewis said.
The energy drew fans from well beyond Tallahassee. Essie Mikuljan and her daughter traveled from the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area to follow the Bananas and rediscover a love of baseball.
"For me, it was a loss of love for baseball. I used to be a semi-season ticket holder for the New York Yankees, and I kind of fell away from baseball. She brought me to a Bananas game, and I have been addicted ever since,"Mikuljan said.
From surprise tickets to behind-the-counter antics, the morning brought together local kids, players, and fans from across the country for a shared experience that went far beyond the ballpark.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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