In March 2010, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation was pleased to launch our second year of the Wisconsin Badges for Baseball program. After a successful pilot year, the Wisconsin Department of Justice provided funding to sustain the initiative. Thanks to support from Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, all seven Milwaukee program sites will be returning for another year, and we have expanded the program to serve two communities in the Fox River Valley. The program will serve more than 1,000 Wisconsin children in 2010.
This year’s program kicked off on March 10th with a staff training and press event at the Boys & Girls Club of the Fox River Valley. Attorney General Van Hollen was on hand to welcome the new program sites and provide words of encouragement for all law enforcement representatives. Returning partners were asked to consider ways to expand their program and build city-wide collaborations, providing a chance for kids from across Milwaukee to interact, learn, and play together. In July, the Milwaukee sites were once again welcomed to a game at Miller Park by our partner, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Brewers Community Foundation. Approximately 750 kids, mentors, coaches, and law enforcement professionals attended a game on July 8th. Attorney General Van Hollen threw out the first pitch, and one of our program participants from Neighborhood House was the Play Ball Kid – officially starting the game!
