Baltimore
2012 Director’s Community Leadership Awards
| Baltimore | Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation |
| President and Executive Director Steve Salem accepts the award on behalf of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. |
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The Baltimore Division is pleased to honor the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation as a recipient of the 2012 Director’s Community Leadership Award. The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, established in 2001 by members of the Ripken family in memory of their patriarch, uses the games of baseball and softball to teach disadvantaged youth perseverance, loyalty, nutrition, hard work, and leadership. Several programs have been developed to help at-risk youth, including Badges for Baseball, a community crime prevention initiative operated in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice that enhances the relationship between law enforcement—including the Baltimore FBI—and youth in communities nationwide through baseball. On the baseball field, law enforcement officers become coaches, teaching important lessons about teamwork, communication, respect, and leadership. Off the field, the foundation teams up with law enforcement to work on makeover projects for Boys and Girls Club facilities. The foundation also partners with communities to create Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Youth Development Parks. The multipurpose, synthetic turf, low-maintenance parks are designed to provide a safe, recreational, and educational experience for at-risk children. |