SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION
Our first-ever sponsorship started with a conversation about baseball bats. Way back in 2019, what seems like a millennium ago and yesterday, we were new to the family business, constituting a small team of four. Before the world went into lockdown, we formed our first community partnership. One that would stand the test of time and shape our perspective on community engagement today.
We were trying to find meaningful community connections, but it seemed that the connection found us. It sounds a little like a romance, doesn’t it? I suppose it kind of is, in a way.
At the time, our two (and only) employees both played for the Rangers’ recreation team, and through them, we got to know the club. We soon learned they needed a sponsorship to fund new bats for the junior league. That was the easiest decision we made that year.
COMMUNITY AT THE CORE
As the business grew, so did our appreciation for the importance of community support. Then came 2020: a year no one could have predicted. Through lockdowns and uncertainty, the Rangers rallied around their players and their community. When isolation gripped us all, they organised a non-contact scavenger hunt across their sponsors, encouraging players and families to get outdoors, collect goodie bags, and share photos. Since then, we’ve welcomed many current and former Rangers players and families through our doors; the relationship we’ve built goes far beyond sponsorship.
Like many local clubs, the Rangers run purely on community spirit and volunteers. As sponsors, we’ve had the privilege of handing out awards and witnessing the pride on the kids’ faces as they collect their medals. Moments like that remind us why community matters. Supporting local sport gives children more than just a game. It helps them build confidence, find belonging and develop the life skills that shape tomorrow’s leaders.Today, even without any Barr players on the field, our support for the Rangers remains, woven into the fabric of who we are.
