BADGES FOR BASEBALL
During the spring and summer months, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office and Olde Forge Junction, in conjunction with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, offered a Badges for Baseball program to children in Stafford County. The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, created Badges for Baseball that pairs law enforcement professionals as mentors and coaches with youth from community-based organizations. The Stafford Badges for Baseball program involved over 100 boys and girls ages 8 – 13 from Olde Forge Junction, Garrison Woods Apartments and students from several Stafford County middle schools and elementary schools. Sergeant Randy Shaw and Theresie Houghton worked together to oversee this program. This is the second year that the Stafford County Sheriff's Office has worked with the Ripken Foundation to offer this program, and the grant was doubled this year to accommodate even more young people.
Sports Day in Olde Forge in April to recruit kids Fishing at Sullivan's Farm builds relationships
between kids and mentors
The Badges for Baseball program consisted of two parts: 1) A five-day baseball camp held June 24-28 at the Melchers Complex and 2) field trips/community events designed to expose students to baseball, to foster relationships between students and mentors, and to expand life skills. The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation provided the funding for the equipment, supplies, field trips, food, and curriculum. The Stafford County Sheriff's Office and Olde Forge Junction provided the volunteer law enforcement personnel and community mentors to lead this innovative program. This five-day baseball camp not only taught basic baseball/softball skills, to include a new game called "Quick Ball", but also shared a character education curriculum entitled "Healthy Choices, Healthy Children". The deputies from the Stafford County Sheriff's Office delivered 12 vital life lessons to young people using a variety of methods: visual tools, a coach's manual, coach's tips and an activity book for participants. These lessons helped the kids understand the importance of choosing to stay in school, staying off harmful substances and staying away from negative peer groups and gangs. Field trips and community events included a sports day in Olde Forge, a University of Mary Washington tour, a fishing trip to Sullivans farm followed by a cookout at Silver Ridge Farm, a trip to Curtis Park, a trip to the YMCA water park, and a Potomac Nationals baseball game. At the conclusion of the summer, five students selected from Stafford attended the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation Camp in Aberdeen.