Virginia Badges for Baseball

Youth and local law enforcement officers team up

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation developed its first statewide initiative in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Following up on the success of year one, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is back in Virginia working on year two of Virginia Badges for Baseball.

Badges for Baseball teams law enforcement officers up with young people living in disadvantaged communities to help form positive relationships of mutual respect.  Law enforcement officers serve as coaches, teachers, mentors, and volunteers on the field and the young people in turn see them as role models, rather than enemies on the streets of their neighborhoods.

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, in collaboration with the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, is bringing Badges for Baseball back to several communities, as well as reaching out to new towns in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The program has provided cash grants, equipment, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s Healthy Choices, Healthy Children program, training, technical support, baseball clinics, and all expense-paid trips to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s Summer Camp to young people across Virginia.

Strongly supported by Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell, the Foundation's Virginia Badges for Baseball program has provided grants to Boys and Girls Clubs and several local police departments.  The statewide program runs in Fauquier, Irvington, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Petersburg, Danville, Lynchburg, and Bristol, as well as through community-wide partnerships in Fredericksburg and Richmond.

The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation looks forward to capitalizing on the success of Virginia Badges for Baseball program and continuing to grow the program to serve more young people with baseball and softball, but most importantly through character education and the development of positive relationships with law enforcement agents.