The clock is running down and you’re behind by a few points, but you have your best team on the field. Victory is in sight.

That’s the way we feel with our Play Ball Drive campaign. We are within sight of our goal of 2,500 new sports balls for Boys & Girls Clubs kids. The deadline is Dec. 28.

“We’re very close to reaching our goal and unlocking the magic gift from our angel donor,” said Don Rodriguez, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach. “We’re thankful for everything our community has already given, but we still have a little way to go.”

The angel donor he was referring to is the anonymous donor who has contributed $10,000 to the ball campaign, but he has a condition attached to it. The condition is that readers must contribute $10,000 to match the anonymous $10,000 gift. That would make a total donation of $20,000.

“We appreciate all the help we’ve received so far,” Rodriguez said. “We are almost there.”

The annual Let’s Play Drive is sponsored by the Press-Telegram and Daily Breeze – as well as their respective weekly sister publications, the Grunion Gazette and The Beach Reporter – in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of both Long Beach and the L.A. Harbor.

The goal this year is to provide at least 5,000 balls combined–or 2,500 to each organization.

So far, we have collected 2,047 balls in Long Beach. In the Daily Breeze area, more than 1,500 balls have been donated.

Tom Bray, senior editor of the Los Angeles County publications for the Southern California News Group, including the P-T and the Breeze, said he was confident that readers will come through for the kids.

“They just need a little more time,” he said. “We know our readers will come through.” The original deadline has been extended to Dec. 28.

These sports balls, whether for basketball, football, soccer or other activities – are crucial.

Sports are great for team building and keep kids off the streets, contributing to their health, Rodriguez said.

He encouraged donors to visit Big 5 Sporting Goods, which is once again participating in the ball drive.

Certain Big 5 locations in Long Beach and the South Bay will provide a 25% discount for any regularly priced sports balls that folks buy to donate to the Let’s Play Ball campaign. Golf balls and tennis balls are excluded from this discount.

There are two ways you can get new sports balls to the Boys & Girls Clubs. First, by dropping them off in person at the various locations listed below. Or, second, by using your credit card online, with instructions also listed below.

“Every donation helps our kids and makes a real difference in their day,” Rodriguez said. “As we head into the holidays, we wish everyone a warm and happy season.”

We thank everyone in advance for making a difference in the lives of so many kids, especially during this holiday season.

Let’s Play Ball

The Let’s Play Ball campaign benefits both the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the LA Harbor. Here’s where you can donate.

Long Beach area:

Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach’s main office, 3635 Long Beach Blvd., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Big 5 Sporting Goods: 4780 Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, and 5247 Lakewood Blvd., Lakewood, during store hours. Big 5 will provide 25% off any regularly priced sports balls, except golf balls and tennis balls, that customers buy to donate to the Play Ball campaign.
Phil Trani’s Restaurant, 3490 Long Beach Blvd.
Boathouse on the Bay Restaurant, 190 Marina Drive, Long Beach.
First Bank locations: 4040 Atlantic Ave., Bixby Knolls; 5195 Lakewood Blvd., Lakewood; 6200 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach.
9Round Kickbox & Fitness Center, 6502 E. Spring St.
Watch Me! Sports Bar, 6527 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach.

You can also donate money or purchase balls or other items off the Long Beach clubs’ Amazon wish list. To do so, click on bgclublb.org/Joy. For more information, email Kari Cho, vice president of marketing and development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, at karic@bgclublb.org, or or call .

South Bay:

Boys & Girls Clubs of L.A. Harbor locations: 1200 S. Cabrillo Ave., San Pedro (send Amazon orders to this address); 100 W. Fifth St., Port of LA; 1444 W. Q St., Wilmington; 1220 W. 256th St., Harbor City, and 802 W. Gardena Blvd., Harbor Gateway.
Big 5 Sporting Goods: 2745 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance; 17542 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, and 2515 E. El Segundo Blvd., El Segundo. Big 5 will provide 25% off any regularly priced sports ball, except golf balls and tennis balls, that customers buy to donate to the Play Ball campaign.
First Bank locations: 21503 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, and 1644 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena.

One final note: We’re always looking for more drop-off locations, whether a sports bar, a restaurant or even a retail store. To become a drop-off location, email me at rarchbold@scng.com and Coastal Cities Editor Chris Haire at chaire@scng.com.