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Attorney
General Gansler and Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Team Up to Launch
Badges for Baseball in Maryland
Statewide Program to Kick Off February 1st in Nine Maryland
Jurisdictions
BALTIMORE,
MD ( January 28, 2010) - Attorney
General Douglas F. Gansler and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation
(CRSF) today
announced the launch of the 2010 Maryland Badges for Baseball
program. The program is being implemented in nine Maryland
jurisdictions, including eight county Sheriff’s offices.
Badges for Baseball partners include: the Sheriff’s offices
of Allegany, Anne Arundel, Charles, Dorchester, Garrett, Harford,
Prince George’s and Washington counties, and Baltimore
City.
Badges for Baseball
is a crime prevention program designed to pair law enforcement
professionals as mentors and coaches with
youth. The program serves as a positive outlet for youth during
out-of-school hours when they are most likely to commit or become
victims of crime. Participating youth will learn the basics of
baseball/softball while taking part in the Foundation’s character
development program, Healthy Choices, Healthy Children.
Through the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention,
the Office of Attorney General was awarded a Byrne Justice Recovery
Assistance (BJRA) Act grant totaling $222,785. The grant funds
must be used to replicate or expand programs aimed at preventing
or reducing violent crime. The grant to the Office of Attorney
General will be used to support the Maryland Badges for Baseball
program. CRSF will provide all technical and programmatic support,
bringing the total investment in Maryland’s young people
most in need to more than $275,000.
“Badges for Baseball not only teaches kids the basic skills
of the game, but they also learn critical life lessons in leadership,
good sportsmanship, and integrity while developing positive relationships
with law enforcement officers in their own communities,” said
Attorney General Gansler.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Attorney General Gansler
and the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention
to expand Badges for Baseball across our home state,” said
Steve Salem, Executive Director of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. “The
support of Attorney General Gansler and the GOCCP has been tremendous;
we’re looking forward to working with all of the Maryland
Badges for Baseball sites to bring these important messages of
respect, work ethic, leadership and perseverance to kids across
the state.”
In support of the 2010 Badges for Baseball program, the Cal Ripken,
Sr. Foundation and the Office of Attorney General Doug Gansler
will provide:
- $18,000 cash grants to nine sites
- $2,800 baseball/softball
and Quickball grants to nine sites
- Healthy Choices, Healthy Children
program materials and on-going staff training
- “Ripken Way” baseball/softball
clinics
- Opportunity
for 27 youth and their mentors to travel to Aberdeen for CRSF
Summer Camp
About the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation
The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation helps build character and teach
critical life lessons to disadvantaged youth residing in America’s
most distressed communities through baseball and softball themed
programs. Founded in 2001 by members of the Ripken family in memory
of their patriarch Cal, Sr., the Foundation works to create programs
that positively impact underserved youth through active community
partnerships with America’s most successful youth service
organizations. www.ripkenfoundation.org
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