The Rays are the antithesis of the Yankees, which includes AL pennants

The Rays have been a constant pain in the Yankees’ behind this season. They dismantled their richer division rivals and got into their heads before finally putting an end to the Yankees’ 2020 season earlier this month in the American League Division Series. With a payroll that is merely a fraction of the Bombers’, a ballpark that is mocked throughout the game and a fanbase that has had to face the constant threat of the team moving, the Rays are pretty much everything the Yankees are not as an organization.

“What they are doing for the communities of Connecticut is critical,” Bessette said. “This is our home, the place we love. We have to take care of ourselves. If we don’t take care of ourselves, I don’t know who is going to take care of us.”

Dr. Lorenzo Boyd, the vice president of diversity and inclusion at the University of New Haven, represents the Center for Advanced Policing at the university as its director.

He said the charity dollars from Travelers have already gone toward paying for training for police to help with the “real disconnect between the police and the communities, particularly communities of color” and instead build those relationships.

“Instead of building a better cop, we wanted to build a better person and usher them into policing,” Boyd said. “We did that by helping them understand levels of compassion, levels of empathy, we wanted to give them better communication skills and we wanted to give them critical thinking skills.”

Dr. Danielle Cooper, an associate professor of criminal justice at the university, reiterated on Wednesday’s call the need for “effective policing, community policing, police engagement” to help them better serve the communities they work in, especially with youths.

“We hear this concept of community policing, bit there is still not enough of it physically happening,” Cooper said.

Ted Yang, CEO and CoFounder of 4-CT, said the money generated from the Travelers Championship has helped provide funds for its 4-CT Card program. These are debit cards provided to healthcare centers to be given to individuals who lack health care due to lost wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Individuals would spend on their most basic needs, food, safety, shelter, clothing, money replacing money lost, income lost,” Yang said. “More than twothirds of the people who receive these cards have lost their job.”

Said Bessette: “Both of these are great groups doing tremendous work. We’re so proud as the title sponsor of the Travelers Championship to be a part of the relationship with this. Let’s grow this.”

Travelers also announced on Wednesday that Operation Fuel and Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders are the first two charities that will be impacted by next year’s tournament, which is scheduled to be held June 24-27 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.

Dustin Johnson, currently the world’s No. 1 golfer, will be the defending champion.

Gregory Bull / Associated Press The Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton reacts after striking out against the Rays during the fifth inning of Game 4 of the ALDS in San Diego.

Frank Franklin II / Associated Press The clubhouse is visible as golfers play through with the absence of fans because of coronavirus restrictions during the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 25 in Cromwell.