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Tuesday Declared Justin Turner Day For Dodgers Third Baseman's Dedication To Service

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The Los Angeles City Council declared Tuesday "Justin Turner Day" in honor of the Dodgers third baseman's charity work and impact on the community.

The recognition is part of the Dodgers' 16th annual community service week, which will have the team and its players participate in a number of activities and events.

Turner, 34, was a big contributor to the Dodgers' season, batting .312 for the year. In Game 5 of the NL Championship Series, Turner helped the Dodgers extend their lead over the Milwaukee Brewers to 5-1 in the seventh through an RBI single that scored pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

But instead of highlighting his skills on the field, the City Council put a spotlight on Turner's charitable work, which includes the Justin Turner Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless veterans and children in need.

Politicians and the Dodgers took to Twitter to congratulate Turner.

"He does not miss an event. This is not a promotion to elevate the image of the team," said Councilman Gil Cedillo while introducing Turner.  "This is something that he does from his heart. He does this all the time. You don't have to do more than ask and let him know where and when the event is and he is there, and he shows up. He has an incredible commitment to the city."

Turner was accompanied by his wife, Kourtney, who is the co-founder and vice president of the Justin Turner Foundation.

"For me, giving back to the community and being a part of it as much as I can is the least I can do to say thank you to all the great Dodger fans out there, not just here in Los Angeles but across the country and around the world," Turner said. "It's truly a well-represented organization and I don't think there's a better one in the world."

Following the City Hall ceremony, the team was scheduled to take part in a number of other activities throughout the week, including an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony at Dodger Stadium for all branches of the military.

On Wednesday, during lunch and batting practice, the team will host more than 350 firefighters who battled wildfires in Southern California.

Manager Dave Roberts also served as the grand marshal of 34th Annual Kingdom Day Parade on Monday.

The full lineup of the Dodgers' 16th annual community service week is available here.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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