CARDINALS BROADCASTER AND WORLD SERIES PITCHER, RICK HORTON, IS CO-CHAIR OF 75TH TREE OF LIGHTS

Nov 18, 2022

Horton raised money in a modest, but effective, way for a bunch of guys who were making pretty good money as professional athletes. It was a method right in front of him, a resourceful way to raise money. 

 “We did that by a [team] fine system, not getting a bunt down, not stealing a base right, whatever it was,” Horton said. “At the end of the year, we didn’t know what to do with the money. In 1985, I said, ‘Well, let’s take some of it and use it for The Salvation Army.’” 

Fast forward nearly 40 years later. Horton will serve as Co-Chair of this year’s 75th anniversary of Tree of Lights, a keystone of how The Salvation Army is able to operate in the city and broader region with its fundraising importance of supporting services throughout the year. 

"I’m honored to be a part of [Tree of Lights]. I’ve been a part of the Salvation Army for a long time. I’m really honored to be a part of celebrating number 75.” 

Horton is a man of faith, well connected throughout the St. Louis community. Both are great for a Tree of Lights Co-Chair. 

Many charitable organizations beckon for resources for important causes. Each of these organizations has a different accounting system and budgeting philosophy. The Salvation Army’s commitment to keeping administrative costs low is part of the reason Horton supports the Red Shield over other charities, he said. 

Eighty-four cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army goes directly to vital resources for people in need. 

“Early on, when I was figuring out how to support organizations, one of things I was clued in on was how organizations handle finances,” Horton said. “Enough to read financial statements of, ‘Is this going to administration or is this going to the needs of the people?’ Enough to know who’s doing it and serving well, as opposed to serving the organization. The Salvation Army has always stood out to me. Administration – everybody must have that to keep things going. But they were using the dollars to the fullest. That is one of the things that impressed me. The Salvation Army is very prudent in how they handle their funding. If you give to The Salvation Army, you know that dollar is going to go to do a lot of good. It’s not going to be a half dollar doing it. It’s going to be almost a full dollar doing it. I think from the perspective of the donor, it’s an important distinction. The Salvation Army has always been at the top of the list with that.” 

Below is the full 12-minute Q&A with Horton about his support for The Salvation Army, the St. Louis community, and the Tree of Lights’ 75th anniversary. 

Donate today to The Salvation Army’s historic 75th anniversary of Tree of Lights by visiting the link below, or by calling 314-646-3000. 

Rick Horton, 75th Tree of Lights Co-Chair's Virtual Red Kettle

Q: Why is the 75th anniversary of Tree of Lights special to you? 

I think any time you have the longevity to do something for 75 years, it’s a big deal. The 75 years of The Salvation Army serving the St. Louis community, that makes it even better. I mean, 75 years of doing something is important, but when you’re talking about investing in the community and its needs, it’s a huge deal. I’m honored to be a part of it. I’ve been a part of The Salvation Army for a long time. I’m really honored to be a part of celebrating number 75. 

Q: How long have you been involved in the Salvation Army? 

My involvement with The Salvation Army in St. Louis really began in 1984. Col. Ed Overstake did a chapel for the Cardinals, and I was in the chapel. I was one of the players at the time, and I was appreciative of him. Our Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader [Walt Enoch], who was also our chaplain leader for the Cardinals at the time, I went to him and said, ‘My wife and I really want to be involved, serving real needs of people in St. Louis, food, clothing and shelter.’ Not everybody’s heartbeat, but it was ours. He connected me back with Col. Overstake, and I got to know many people at the Army, where we raised money throughout the year with the Cardinals. We did that by a fine system, not getting a bunt down, not stealing a base right, whatever it was. It was a team program where we would fine each other. At the end of the year, we didn’t know what to do with the money. In 1985, I said well, let’s take some of it and use it for The Salvation Army. We should be a part of delivering food and blankets, which we did. The players brought their kids. It was really a meaningful connection for me at the time. There have been several others over the years. 

Q: Why is it important for The Salvation Army to meet its Tree of Lights fundraising goal? 

I think the importance of meeting financial goals when you’re in the business of serving people – if you don’t have the funds, you don’t have the way to extend that grace to the people. The idea to be fully up to what the goal is. The goal is there for a reason. The goal is not just to have a number. The goal means meeting more needs of more people, in a very real and powerful way. The Salvation Army understands that very well. There are a lot of people, and at times I’m like this, too. You want to meet a need, but you’re not quite sure how to do it. You must trust in an organization, and The Salvation Army is very trustworthy to say, ‘We’re going to take that heart of yours, and we are going to translate that into real work and ministry, real service of people. We know the people. We know the places to go. We know how to really help them.’ So, it’s a great bridge I think for people who want to give and serve. 

Q: How does being a man of faith play into your Salvation Army involvement? 

One of the things I learned in my 20s, fortunately, early enough to matter, was that God has given great grace to me. That’s the reality of the gospel message and Christian message that, through Jesus, we receive this wonderful grace that we don’t deserve. I think the biblical admonition is that you receive grace and then extend grace to others. There are many ways to do that. It could be listening to them, it could be understanding them, it could be befriending them, it could also be meeting their emotional and spiritual needs. So, I think that is the mark of a Christian, really, is to try to give that grace that has been extended to you. That’s why that it's so critical with me my work with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for over 25 years. It’s been to influence that in the world of athletics, especially high school athletes and coaches, who are great influencers in our sphere, to develop a godly mindset on how they play, live, and serve others. 

Q: How would you describe the sense of community in St. Louis? 

There is a great sense of community here in St. Louis. It’s one of the reasons that Ann and I chose to live here, from Virginia, I’m from New York and all over in baseball. Baseball takes you everywhere. That’s part of the deal, including other countries. I think St. Louis, to us, has been our homebase since we got married. I had to figure out a place to go. This felt like home to us. I think it’s also true of many former players, over 70 or maybe 80 players now that came from other parts of the country that have decided to live in the St. Louis community. What draws them here is that word, community. Connection is my favorite word. I think we’re created to connect with others. We need to have a strong vertical relationship but also horizontal. St. Louis offers that like no other. I honestly feel fully at home here. You can say St. Louis is a small Arch town, or a large-small town, whatever you want to say. It is a place where I feel 100% like I belong. Community is the reason why. 

Q: What impresses you about how The Salvation Army uses its money to help people? 

Early on, when I was figuring out how to support organizations, one of things I was clued in on was how organizations handle finances. Enough to read financial statements of is this going to administration or is this going to the needs of the people. Enough to read those statements to know who’s doing it and serving well, as opposed to serving the organization. The Salvation Army has always stood out to me. Administration, everybody must have that to keep things going. But they were using the dollars to the fullest. That is one of the things that impressed me. The Salvation Army is very prudent in how they handle their funding. If you give to the Salvation Army, you know that dollar is going to go to do a lot of good. It’s not going to be a half dollar doing it. It’s going to be almost a full dollar doing it. I think from the perspective of the donor, it’s an important distinction. The Salvation Army has always been at the top of the list with that. 

Q: Why should your social media followers start a red kettle? 

One of the things I love about the red kettle concept is you can communicate to your sphere of influence this opportunity to be involved with meeting people during the holiday time. It’s where we start to think about that and giving gifts. I don’t care who you are, you’re thinking, ‘Boy, how should I serve my fellow man? How can I meet other’s needs?’ You see needs, and you want to respond and don’t quite know how. You can trust The Salvation Army. You can use this very simple mechanism of having your own kettle on social media to use that platform to spread the news of how others can get involved. People that want to give and don’t know how, it’s the perfect way to do it. There are a lot of people like that. I don’t know where to go, what agency to trust, what specifically do I do or meet the need of. Sometimes, it’s hard to judge what’s a need and what’s not. The Salvation Army is in the trenches and on the field and knows what the real needs are. We can trust that so we can provide funds that needs are met. Not everybody is geared to do that themselves and say, ‘I can go out and serve somebody personally.’ Your heart is to do that, but maybe you’re not gifted to do that. Something that fits with your schedule, or you don’t know where to start. This is a good place to start. 

Q: What ministry services do you provide to the Cardinals present and past? 

One of the things that the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has always been that it’s been a leveling thing for athletes. To help understand that through bible study, chapel services, and services to families. Not just on the pro level, a lot of it is high school coaches and athletes. The idea is to help every athlete understand that is not their identity really. It may be a gift they have, but their identity is a child of God. That’s much more important and much more long-term because every athlete’s career ends. At the end of the career, you are more than just the uniform that you wear. Men and women compete. That’s a God-given desire. But you also must figure out how to compete in a godly way. Some of it is training to understand what’s the proper way to compete, how do you handle winning and losing. How do you handle issues of perseverance, teamwork, and communication? Rubber-meets-the-road human situations that happen in athletics. If you can serve the athlete and help them become godlier and have more godly character in the way, they do it. Then that could extend to others, too. People are looking to sport, whether it’s right or wrong to do it, on a regular basis. We just love to see an athlete that has a humility about them. I think that’s one of the things that FCA helps enforce. 

Q: Where is help needed most in St. Louis? 

I personally think that the biggest need going on in the St. Louis community, which I can extend to the United States, the world, is change of heart. I think there are certainly opportunities for programs to be more effective and for targeted, specific ends to be met. We’re coming out of this disconnected time of COVID, and people are not meant to be disconnected. No man is an island. We need to relate to one another. That connection is meaningful relationships. It’s somebody serving you. Somebody you can serve back. Someplace to feel important and a part of. We live in a funny area with that right now. But all of that doesn’t matter without a change of heart. To me, heart is where it starts. In my view, and you have a godly view of the world and people, and you see people as part of God’s creation. They’re rich, poor, black, white, young, old, it doesn’t matter. They’re all created in the image of God. That heart changes to that. I think then we start looking for other people’s needs. You’re aware of them, instead of how I can help myself, you start thinking about others. That’s the change in heart needed most, not just in St. Louis but around the world.