A special grant was given to the Wheeling, WV Police Department this month!

The department received a $10,000 check from The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation to help their K-9 program.

“The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation does a lot of good things in the community, and we’re happy to be a part of that, and (we’re) certainly very thankful that they recognized the Wheeling Police Department to make a contribution to our K-9 unit,” Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger said.

The Community Impact Coalition worked with Ben’s foundation to obtain the grant.

“It feels great to help them out” said Lori Garett-Bumba from the Communication Impact Coalition. “They have helped us out so much over the past few years. Since 2005, they partnered with us for Project Sticker Shock and prescription drug takebacks and the very first med return box here in the state of West Virginia.”

“We outfitted one of our brand new cruisers that you see over here with that money and there’s a lot involved with a K-9 specific vehicle,” Schwertfeger said.

Schwertfeger says they already have five K-9s, who are such a valuable asset to the officers.

“We have four narcotics dogs and a bomb dog,” Schwertfeger said. “We’re one of the few departments in the area that has an explosives detection dog.

“It’s a great community policing initiative, or tool, and these handlers are awesome. They’re really good working with children, members of the community and they are always there for me.”

…it’s also the BIG day for the ProCamps Ben Roethlisberger Youth Fantasy Experience!

The camp will be held on Sunday, June 18th, 2017 at the Steelers Practice Facility.

Boys & girls, grades 1-8, will be working on their football skills on the same fields that the Steelers players work on theirs!

This one day camp is similar to a “two-a-day,” running from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM with a lunch break in between sessions.

And we can only imagine what Ben and the folks at ProCamps have in store for the fathers and grandfathers who take the field on this special Sunday!


Last year the camp was also held on Father’s Day weekend, and there was a special Dads-Edition of the 40-yard dash. About 30 fathers came down to the field to race, and only one injury — a pulled hamstring — came out of it:


Dayna K ‏@Daynakalinowsk1
@_BigBen7 @SunnyDelight @ProCamps Happy Father’s Day! Best Father’s Day ever watching my son havin a blast on the field with Ben and all the kids!

Emma Lady ‏@lady4_emma
Loved watching Ben Roethlisberger Jr., all the dads, and kids performing in the SmokeHouse Race.

J A ‏@johnnyislegend
@_BigBen7 @ProCamps @SunnyDelight what a way to spend Father’s Day. Watching you child do what they love. Thanks for the memories!

Steel Dad ‏@SteelDad
I’m away from my kids on this Father’s Day but they gave me a pass! Thanks to @ProCamps for a great opportunity today at @_BigBen7 FB Camp!

Jim Budzilek ‏@JimBudzilek
@_BigBen7 @ProCamps @SunnyDelight Just met Big Ben!! The pulled hamstring was worth it for meeting him and running for my son!



And of course, throughout the day, Big Ben and his coaches will offer tips and hands-on instruction, including lectures, fundamental football skills stations, contests, and non-contact games in a high-energy, fun, and positive environment. Young campers will be placed in small groups by age to ensure that each child gets maximum instruction. Ben and ProCamps are both committed to providing your child with the experience of a lifetime at an affordable price.

“We do a lot of quarterback drills, some receiver drills, and […]

From the Findlay Courier:

Youth football teams from Findlay and the surrounding area will have a top of the line facility where they can compete this fall, with the dedication Saturday of Ben Roethlisberger Field at Marathon Stadium.

Located at The Cube on the north edge of Findlay, adjacent to a complex that includes facilities for baseball, softball and hockey, as well as the Miracle Field, the new facility was a collaborative effort by former Findlay High quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger and Marathon Petroleum Corp. Roethlisberger, in Findlay for induction into the Hancock Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, was on hand to dedicate the field that bears his name.

“Marathon Petroleum Corporation is proud to have partnered with Ben Roethlisberger in the creation of the Findlay Youth Football Facility,” Paul Smith, manager of administrative services at Marathon, said during Saturday’s dedication.

“As a company, we believe strongly in giving back to the communities where we have the privilege to operate. Roethlisberger Field will impact generations of youth football players in Findlay and Hancock County for years to come.”

“The Findlay Youth Football facility would not have been possible without the financial support from Ben Roethlisberger and Marathon Petroleum Corp.,” said Bill Gilley, board president of Findlay Youth Football.

“This youth football facility has been many years in the making. Many people have been involved and have given a lot to make Roethlisberger Field the premier youth football facility that it is. Roethlisberger Field provides a place for over 200 Findlay youth, from grades three through eight, and teams from the surrounding area, to play football.”

…that Carlee was so proud to be honored with her big brother!

When that special day turns into OUR DAY!! #officiallyjustoneday #willbecelebratedyearly #allthewhereases #2017hancockcountyHOF pic.twitter.com/GLB1BuD92K

— Carlee Roethlisbergr (@C_Roeth107) April 24, 2017

From Dave Hanneman at the Findlay Courier once again:

Big Ben packed the house.

Little sis brought it down.

Carlee Roethlisberger got a few digs in on her older brother Ben — and some wall-to-wall laughs — as both were inducted into the Hancock Sports Hall of Fame during ceremonies Saturday at Owens Community College.

“Once a decade I get to beat Ben at something,” Carlee said during her acceptance speech.

“Left-handed P-I-G. Yahtzee. Graduating college. The school scoring record …”

Carlee, a two-sport all-Ohio selection, did outscore Ben in basketball at Findlay High School — 1,625 career points to 1,095. Ben says that’s because Carlee started four years on varsity, while he started three.

And Carlee, who played both basketball and volleyball at the University of Oklahoma, did get her degree before Ben. But that’s because Ben made himself eligible for the NFL draft after his junior year at Miami of Ohio and was off winning a couple of Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While Ben and Carlee Roethlisberger are two of the most decorated and successful athletes to come out of Hancock County, both said they were appreciative of the hometown foundation they had to their careers.

“It’s more than just awards and trophies. It’s what you do with the opportunities you’re given,” Carlee said.
“It’s a huge honor to share this with my big brother Ben. We’re grateful, because the support of this town has been awesome.”

Ben shakes hands and gets a hug from Jerry Snodgrass. “It’s about being able to dream big and go after those dreams,” said Ben, who said he imagined throwing game-winning touchdown passes in his backyard on Woodley Terrace long before he did it in a 31-28 win over Napoleon in high school, a 30-27 win over Akron in college and a 27-23 Super Bowl XLIII win over Arizona in the pros.

“It’s humbling to be up here in front of so many great athletes who have been inducted, and it’s great to be going in (the hall) with Carlee. She’s a phenomenal athlete and an even better person.”

Saturday’s induction was redeeming as well as rewarding as far as Ben Roethlisberger was concerned.

In the past, “Some negative things were said about me by […]