Twenty-seven years ago, we lost Dad, Cal Ripken, Sr., to lung cancer. Two years later, we decided to honor his memory by starting a nonprofit organization in his name to help kids who don’t have all the advantages we did growing up. When we began, the Cal Ripken, Sr.
Foundation had the simple goal of helping some kids in our hometown of Aberdeen, Maryland. We never could have expected the journey that it would take us on. I may be well known for playing a record 2,632 consecutive Major League Baseball games, but the streak the foundation continues on has been more important.
Baseball is a game of fundamentals. You build success through repetition, consistency, and accountability. Dad used to say, “Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect,” and we look at helping kids the same way.
It’s about committing to a plan. Today we are blown away by the fact that we have impacted over 14 million young people across the country. We could not have done it without hundreds of youth partner organizations who work with the kids each day and the generous donors who have supported our growth.
We get to provide mentoring programs, build turf fields, and install STEM Centers, all with a simple mission: to offer opportunities for kids who need them most. For much of my life, people have known me as a ballplayer. I loved playing baseball and got to spend my entire career, 21 seasons, with my hometown Baltimore Orioles.
I also had wonderful, caring parents who guided me and my siblings. Looking back, it is clear that we were incredibly fortunate. Many kids don’t have what we had: strong parents, safe places to play, and people to help guide us in the right direction.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
