GARY, Ind. — Rusty the RailCat, the mascot of the Gary SouthShore RailCats, has been very busy this holiday season taking time to visit a number of local hospitals and Boys and Girls Clubs, spreading holiday cheer the only way he knows how and bringing smiles to all.

It has become a holiday tradition for the RailCats mascot to take the time out of his winter hibernation to make extra special visits to area hospitals, company parties and the local Boys and Girls clubs. In the past week alone, Rusty has visited the Boys and Girls Clubs of Valparaiso (twice), Portage and Chesterton in addition to St. Margaret’s and St. Francis Hospitals and a number of corporate holiday parties in the area. Rusty is also scheduled to appear at St. Mary’s, St. Catherine’s, Community and Methodist Hospitals this week.

“Rusty really looks forward to this time of year,” said RailCats Community Relations Manager Radley Robinson. “When there’s no baseball the big guy gets a little lonely, so when the holidays roll around we get to see that bounce back in his step and it’s almost like summer again, if only for a little while.”

That little piece of summer is no more evident than in the faces of the people Rusty visits. Aside from the few little ones who find Rusty a bit overwhelming, young and old alike brighten up when they see a giant RailCat playing basketball with the kids at a Boys and Girls Club or clowning around with the doctors and nurses at the hospitals.

“That’s the best part for all of us who are fortunate enough to go with Rusty,” Robinson added. “Knowing that you can make a difference in someone’s day by bringing even a little joy into their life is always rewarding and it’s why we make sure to have Rusty go on these trips every year.”

The RailCats have made dozens of holiday visits annually since 2003 and look forward to continuing the tradition for years to come.  For more information on Rusty the RailCat or any of the RailCats other community relations and outreach efforts, contact Robinson at 219.882.2255 or rrobinson@railcatsbaseball.com.