It’s the giving season, and Rangers pitcher Cole Hamels was feeling particularly generous.
The 33-year-old pitcher is blessed to earn over eight million annually (or in his case, seasonally) from his profession, and decided to give back. Cole and his wife own a $9.75 million, 32,000 square-foot home (pictured below) on Table Rock Lake, and they thought it could be put to much better use. Who needs 16,000 square feet-per-person, anyway?
According to WLKY,
The Hamels, through their foundation, donated it to Camp Barnabas, also located in southwest Missouri.
“Seeing the faces, hearing the laughter, reading the stories of the kids they serve; there is truly nothing like it,” Cole Hamels said in a news release. “Barnabas makes dreams come true, and we felt called to help them in a big way.”
Aerial views of the mansion and land Cole Hamels is donating to a camp for kids with special needs https://t.co/oT7YDOVMrM pic.twitter.com/EsHuWtfzJV
— Landon Haaf (@LandonHaaf) December 19, 2017
Here’s more from the report: “Camp Barnabas said the gift was the largest in the history of the organization. Barnabas also runs a two-year, faith-based collegiate program for students with special needs. Barnabas Prep helps the students ‘realize their strengths and potential, while challenging them to grow into their best selves.'”
You can see more about this incredible gift below:
According to Cole’s wife, the genesis for this plan started 6 months ago when they approached Barnabas about making a contribution. The two were planning a move to Dallas, Texas, and that’s why donating what was to be their “forever home” became an option.
Thank you to everyone who attended our press conference and is actively sharing our story. We are thrilled to accept this enormous gift from Cole & Heidi Hamels and look forward to the many lives it will impact. pic.twitter.com/4BEBkrFfe4
— Camp Barnabas (@CampBarnabas) December 19, 2017
According to the Foundation’s website, the Barnabas Foundation oversees two primary initiatives: Camp Barnabas, which has welcomed more than 75,000 campers and missionaries since 1994, and Barnabas Prep, a two-year faith-based collegiate program. It’s the former that the Hamels donated to.
This donation marks the largest ever received by the Barnabas Foundation, and it’s a record that’ll be hard to beat, unless perhaps a rival teammate is feeling especially competitive.
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