Astros CAREavan hits San Antonio on Thursday

The Astros CAREavan is rolling through South Texas this week. Current and former Astros players as well as coaches and team dignitaries are out there rubbing elbows with the fans. The Astros CAREavan program also focuses on community service, lending support to cancer-related causes, organizations that support the military, and youth baseball and softball programs.

Jose Altuve is scheduled to appear in San Antonio Thursday (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)

My fellow San Antonians can catch the CAREavan Thursday at 5:45 p.m. at the Academy Sports and Outdoors store on N.E. Loop 1604 near Highway 281. Jose Altuve, Jarred Cosart, Brett Wallace, J.R. Richard, and play-by-play announcer Bill Brown are all scheduled to appear. A free autograph session will be included. Tune your radio to A.M. 760 The Ticket on the way there. An interview with Bill Brown is scheduled to run at 4:30.

Thursday also includes a CAREavan stop in Corpus Christi. Bud Norris, Jordan Lyles, Brandon Backe, and Milo Hamilton will be at the Academy store located at 5001 S. Padres Island Drive. The stop is scheduled to run from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and a free autograph session is also included.

The CAREavan hits Oklahoma City and Austin on Friday before returning home for Saturday’s FanFest event. FanFest runs from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Minute Maid Park. Admission is free, but fans must obtain a voucher from astros.com or the Astros ticket office. Activities include an interactive kids zone, an exposition floor, autograph sessions, and a garage sale.

Fans can also purchase  tickets to take swings in the Astros batting cage or throw pitches in the Astros bullpen. So there really is something for everyone. I hope to see you there.