Kurt, a 10-year veteran who has played for the Athletics, Nationals, Twins and now the Braves, began texting his many friends in the game. Renee began texting the many wives she knew. Josh Goldberg, the vice-president of public relations for Suzuki’s agency, MVP Sports Group, assisted in the effort.

Lisa Duensing, the wife of Cubs pitcher Brian Duensing, a former teammate of Kurt’s, was particularly helpful, Renee said.

As a member of the Baltimore bullpen, Brian Duensing is doing his best to help the Orioles make the postseason.

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The former Nebraska pitcher also is doing his best to aid in the fight against pediatric cancer.

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Duensing and his wife, Lisa, will host their second major fundraiser Nov. 10 at Jams restaurant in the Old Market. The celebrity bartending event includes dinner and will raise funds for Angels Among Us, an organization that helps reduce the financial burdens of families with a critically ill child.

Brian Duensing, as expected, opted out of his minor league contract.

The Omaha native is, however, lending a hand to the family of one of his recent Triple-A teammates.

The Brian Duensing Foundation, dedicated to providing support for families battling cancer and serious illness, will match the proceeds from the “Lets Go Miles” fundraiser on June 24 at Werner Park.

One glance at Duensing's Twitter field and it's selfie after selfie. He's become the Picasso of the personal pic.

"You don't want to smile too much and you have to have the right lighting," says Duensing. "Also, no duck faces."

But there's a reason for it. The 32-year old has a heart for families affected by childhood cancer. The t-shirts he wears in the photos he posts on social media bear the names of kids dealing with cancer or organizations on the front lines of battling it.

"Brian Duensing's one of the more accessible guys and is certainly out in the community," Ryan said. "He's involved in so many charities he couldn't mention all of them in that speech. Those are the type of things that you can be proud of."

Staring straight ahead with outstretched arms, Mavrick slowly placed one shoe in front of the other on a 2-foot high tightrope and tried not to fall off.

“It’s harder than you think,” Mavrick said with a sly smile. “It’s just fun to try to walk across the wire and try to keep your balance.”

Mavrick was one of more than 160 kids attending Camp CoHoLo, which stands for courage, hope and love, at the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center in Gretna. The camp is for children who have beaten or are currently fighting cancer or a blood disorder.