Valley charities getting big donations from MLB

PHOENIX - Dozens of children at the Boys and Girls Club could hardly contain their excitement and emotion as they got their first chance to explore their new south Phoenix clubhouse Monday.

"I couldn't wait until I came here. My mom has been taking me since last year," Savannah Branch said.

Major League Baseball invested more than $2 million in renovating the clubhouse that has been a part of this community for more than a half-century.

"You're talking about a club that's been around for 60 years and really needed some love. This is exactly what these kids deserve," Dan Bachman, the Boys and Girls Club manager said.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig spoke at the unveiling, saying this was part of baseball's commitment to giving back to communities.

"Our goal is to leave a lasting impact on the All-Star host city," Selig said.

Another charity that got a helping hand Monday was the Foundation for Blind Children.

The league invested about $1 million in technology that will allow visually impaired children to overcome their challenges.

"It's phenomenal what the MLB and Arizona Diamondbacks are doing. They set up this technology center to help blind children everywhere in Arizona and give them what they need to be productive and deal with their disabilities," Joason Casale said about the donations.

From braille readers, to electronic magnifiers to iPod apps, teachers tell me the new tools could make a big difference in the lives of hundreds of kids.