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Verizon to host clinic at Citi Field with kids, Mets players

Thirty youngsters from two Queens organizations will take the field along with two New York Mets players and a coach as part of the Verizon Promo Day at Citi Field on Aug. 15.

The kids, 7 to 12 years old, are from the South Queens Boys and Girls Club in Richmond Hill and the Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities community service agency in Corona. Accompanied by their parents or guardians, the kids will receive tips and instructions on hitting, fielding, throwing and base-running from the two Mets players and a coach.

"The New York Mets provides a variety of good platforms for Verizon," said John Bonomo, spokesman for Verizon Wireless, Basking Ridge, NJ. "Citi Field houses our Verizon Studio.

"The Verizon branding throughout the stadium and on the club's Web site gives us good visibility with the Mets fan base and they are very receptive to working with us on these kinds of community events with kids," he said. "Verizon has an ongoing relationship with dozens of community organizations in Queens and all the boroughs, and thousands in the communities we operate in.

"We approached these two, and they were thrilled to be part of it."

Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone, operates a wireless network serving more than 87 million customers nationwide, making it the No. 1 carrier in the United States.

As part of the Verizon Promo Day, Verizon will hand out magnetic picture frames to the first 25,000 people through the gates for the game.

The kids will get refreshments after the clinic and they will have their pictures taken with the Mets players. After the morning clinic and other activities, the kids will attend the Mets game against the San Francisco Giants.

In addition to the kids' clinic and the giveaways, the winner of the New York Mets Verizon Summer Sweepstakes will attend the game for free along with 15 friends in a luxury box and throw out the first pitch.

Through Aug. 5, fans were able to sign up for the sweepstakes at http://www.mets.com/summersweepstakes.

Earlier this year, Verizon launched a Mets channel available to its subscribers in the sports category on V Cast Videos. It provides updates on the previous night's games and other news throughout the season.

At every Mets game at Citi Field, fans can visit the Verizon Studio to experience Verizon's Fios TV and Fios Internet, TV and Internet services delivered to customers' homes over an all-fiber-optic network.

At the studio, people can also watch the game on a 108-inch HD TV and get ringtones, wallpapers and game highlights delivered to their Verizon Wireless phone.

The Verizon Studio is located on the field concourse level, adjacent to the right-field bridge.

"The Verizon Studio is all about Verizon services, from Fios TV and Internet to wireless applications," Mr. Bonomo said. "Fans can walk right in.

"It is staffed, and we do demonstrations on the speed of Fios Internet and amazing picture quality and applications that FiOS TV has to offer," he said.