Matusz and a special guest

SARASOTA, Fla. - Before retiring for the night, I wanted to pass along a note regarding a tour that Brian Matusz will be giving Thursday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, thanks to the Casey Cares Foundation. The foundation is sending Carly Shulman - a 15-year-old Hodgkins Lymphoma patient from Hampstead - her parents, brother, and care-taker to the Orioles' spring training camp tomorrow morning. The group will attend the Orioles' 1:05 p.m. game against the Twins, but that's not all. Shulman will participate in batting practice and Matusz will give the family a personal tour of the facility. Shulman, who has also been diagnosed with a seizure disorder and is developmentally delayed, are being treated to a three-night stay, airfare, rental car, dinner, and tickets to the game, compliments of the Casey Cares Foundation and its partners. According to a press release, the trip is part of the Casey Cares Celebration Vacation program, one of many offered by the foundation that lifts the spirits of kids and families battling life threatening illnesses. Other Celebration Vacations Casey Cares has provided include trips to Disney World, weekend getaways to the beach and adventure parks throughout the U.S. Shulman is a huge Orioles' fan. She attended FanFest in January, and it's going to get a whole lot better on Thursday. The Orioles will receive the Champion of Children Award at the Casey Cares Gala on March 24 at the B & O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. The Orioles have been a supporter and partner of the Casey Cares Foundation for over a decade, providing tickets to numerous games and giving Casey Cares kids the opportunity to throw at the first pitch at games. For more information on the foundation, you can visit www.CaseyCaresFoundation.org.