ATLANTA — The World Series spotlight turns back to Atlanta Friday, and a local couple will join the excitement at Truist Park.
"I'm definitely excited," Ken Katz told 11Alive. "I would bet that Jeannette says she's more nervous than excited."
Some nerves would be justified as Jeannette will soon take the mound at Game 3 of the World Series to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
"Never done it before so it should be much fun," she told 11Alive.
The honor comes after the couple, owners of Atlanta's La Bodega restaurant, were named one of three recipients of the Mastercard Home Team Advantage Small Business Contest.
“While small businesses had to contend with extreme challenges throughout the pandemic, they demonstrated exceptional resilience and determination in the process,” Cheryl Guerin, EVP Marketing and Communications in North America for Mastercard, said in a press release.
In addition to first pitch honors and a trip to the World Series, the couple also won a $10,000 grant from Mastercard, access to the Mastercard Digital Doors™ toolkit to grow their business online, 1:1 mentorship with Mastercard small business experts and more.
It's a chance to celebrate after more than a year and a half of upheaval due to the pandemic.
"Since March of 2020, all we've talked about is how we can pivot and keep going," Ken said. "That's what really we've been thinking about for, it's 18 months now. It's a different world, and it's great to be back at baseball...but it's been a long journey that seems like it has gone on forever."
As the big moment approaches, you may wonder how the couple decided who would toss the first pitch?
"Let's be honest, I'm 51% owner so I make the decisions," Jeannette said with a laugh and smile.
La Bodega market and pupuseria believes that healthy and locally-sourced groceries should be accessible in every neighborhood across the city. By partnering with local sustainable farmers and up-and-coming chefs, La Bodega provides community-supported farm-to-table seasonal ingredients and Latin American-inspired meals to go.