BUTLER TWP — The Pittsburgh Pirates just completed quite a road trip — and loved every bit of it.

Three sets of Pirate players, coaches, broadcasters and front office employees took part in 20 private community events in 13 cities over the past three days as part of the ballclub’s Winter Care-A-Van program.

“It’s strictly a volunteer thing and the guys are great about it,” said Terry Rodgers, Pirates Manager of Business Communications and Slippery Rock University graduate, about the team’s players and coaches.

“They love to give back and get out in the community.”

One of those private stops took place Friday at McQuistion Elementary School in Butler. Rodgers accompanied Pirate coaches Nick Leyva and Dave Jauss, players Chris Stewart, Keon Broxton and Nick Kingham to the school.

All took part in an assembly in front of the school’s students, playing a “Family Feud” game against five selected students.

The Pirates also donated $2,500 to the school and stuck around to stuff donated food items into bags as part of McQuistion’s Backpack Initiative program.

The program provides backpacks of food for qualified students to take home for the weekend “to help the families that need help,” McQuistion teacher Kim Thomas said.

Thomas is the founder of the program locally. McQuistion Elementary is the lone school in the Butler Area School District doing the Backpack Initiative.

Of the school’s 525 students, 75 take food home each Friday.

“All of the food came through donations,” Thomas said. “The Pirates were packing the food for the kids to take home next weekend. We work a week ahead.

“We’re serving as the pilot program for the district this year. Other schools in the district may add it in coming years.”

The Family Feud game asked the kids questions concerning how often they should exercise, what fruits kids like to eat and what foods are unhealthy for them to eat.

“It’s cool seeing the kids learn things like that while having fun at the same time,” Pirate catcher Stewart said. “I love being a part of this.

“Any city I play in, I want to go on these trips. I want to support the people who are supporting us.”

Thomas was grateful the Pirates gave their time to the McQuistion students.

“Most of the kids here will never get to a Pirate game,” she said. “It’s their chance to see some of the players close-up and spend time with them. It’s wonderful that the Pirates get to so many places. It shows they’re part of the community.”

The Pirates have visited hospitals, schools and helped mentally and physically handicapped people over the past three days.

“When I was a little kid, I remember high school players coming to our school and talking to us,” outfielder Broxton said. “We looked up to the older kids so much. Young kids are like sponges. They soak up everything you tell them and you have to give them the right message.”

Kingham, a pitcher, grew up in Las Vegas and recalled a favorite childhood memory — being invited on the field as a small child with the city’s minor league baseball team before a game.

“I was maybe 9 years old and I’ve never forgotten that,” he said. “It was a lifetime thrill for me. We’re bigger role models to kids than we realize sometimes.

“Visits like this one remind me of that.”

Jauss returned from baseball’s winter meetings in Nashville just in time to board a bus at 9 a.m. Friday at PNC Park and make the trek to Butler.

“I wasn’t gonna miss it,” he said. “It’s about establishing relationships. We care about this community.”