Roberto's Kids - Baseball Equipment Collection Program

[Cleef]

Roberto's Kids is a program in partnership with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Clemente family that collects and delivers new and gently used baseball equipment to children in the DR and Puerto Rico.

If you're unfamiliar with Roberto Clemente, he spent 18 years playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates and was arguably one of the greatest outfielders of all time (12 Gold Gloves). He played through the 50's and 60's - certainly not an easy time - and was the first Hispanic inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. More here.

Personally, in seeing some of the highlights of his career, he looked like a man among boys. He'd be one of the first players I'd love to go back in time to watch play. The only thing bigger than his talent was his heart; he was the definition of the word 'humanitarian'.

The program is a continuation of what our very own DR1 member (Steve Pindar) began a few years ago.

With the collaboration of the BHOF and the Clemente organization, an effective network has been constructed to allow any community to put together a baseball equipment drive in their areas and make donations that will help thousands of children in the DR and PR find gold in what would likely become buried in a garage or closet.

It's a pretty cool idea that the bat or glove your son/daughter outgrew might help shape the life of a kid in the DR or PR.

Ability, without opportunity, is meaningless.

Steve Pindar can be contacted at pindars@stny.rr.com

[Steve Pindar]

Hi everyone,

As some of you may know, I am a long time DR1 reader, but am a fairly new "poster". Some of you I only know by name, while others I know a bit better. I don't know where most of you live, what your connection to the DR is, what your interests are, etc. as I am not a long standing DR1 regular like Trina and Cleef, etc.

What I do know is that I need your help. As you or may not know, my wife and I have been doing mission work in the DR since 1997. One of my projects has been a baseball equipment donation project, which benefits poor children in the DR.

The program started in 1999 with only 1 donation, and has grown to the point that in 2005, we collected and distributed 5 tons of equipment throughout the DR.

As Cleef spoke about above, I recently entered into a partnership with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Clemente Family, and we are now calling the project Roberto's Kids.

We have set a goal of 100,000 lbs of equipment this year, which we are going to send to the DR, Puerto Rico and another country such as Mexico or Venezuela.

I thought that with the assistance of the HOF and the Clementes, the program would be flying right out of the gate, but that has not been the case.

Due to the fact that you are reading this thread, I am assuming that you all care for the DR, and that you also enjoy baseball.

For that reason, I am appealing to you - I NEED YOUR HELP.

Since Cleef's post about the project first appeared in DR1, I have not heard from anyone, either by posting in the thread, sending me a private message, or by email.

If you have anything to donate, if you can sponsor a collection drive in your area, or if you can recommend the names of leagues, municipal recreation departments, etc that I can contact, please let know.

Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.

I have asked myself many times why I haven't heard from anyone, and the only reason I can think of is that possibly people are hesitant to donate, as they are concerned that due to corruption, etc the donations may not end up where they are meant to go. If that is the case, please let me assure you that 100% of the donations end up going to worthy individuals, leagues. etc.

Nothing ends up on the black market, no bribes are paid, etc.

If these are the types of concerns you might have, please send me a private message or email me at the address below, and I will give you the names of many trusted friends in the DR, who are affiliated with baseball.

Please know that no donation is too small or too large and all donations are greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much

I look forward to hearing from you.

Steve Pindar
pindars@stny.rr.com

[Steve Pindar]

Roberto Clemente's name still helping the less fortunate

Associated Press

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. - More than three decades after Roberto Clemente died trying to bring aid to others, an effort to help Latin American children has been launched in his name.

The family of the late Hall of Famer and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum have created "Roberto's Kids" to collect new and lightly used baseball equipment for delivery to children in Latin America. While the primary beneficiaries of the program will be in Clemente's native Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, organizers hope to reach youngsters in Venezuela, Mexico and other Latin American countries.

The goal of Roberto's Kids is to continue the charitable work of Steve Pindar, of Oneonta, N.Y., and Steve Tremitiere, of Newtown, Pa. Each has collected tons of equipment for children in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in recent years.

"The goal of Roberto's Kids is to collect and distribute equipment from baseball leagues, charitable organizations, individuals or retailers in the United States and Canada and provide that equipment to those in Latin American countries where baseball is loved and played with passion," Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey said in press release.

Through Roberto's Kids, local organizations will be given the information they need to run a successful local collection. Equipment will be sent to a central facility for packaging and shipment.

Pindar started the Baseball Equipment Project in 1999 in the Dominican Republic with a single donation from the Oneonta Little League. In 2005, his family collected five tons of equipment for Dominican children from organizations across the country. Tremitiere has collected tons of equipment from eastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey for the Roberto Clemente Sports City Complex and other organizations in Puerto Rico.

Clemente's died in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico on New Year's Eve 1972 while he was trying to deliver relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Though his family pleaded with him not to make the trip, Clemente insisted on going because previous supplies had not made it to the victims.

Clemente was 38 and his 18-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates ended with exactly 3,000 hits.

(For information on how you can participate, please send me a private message here or email me at pindars@stny.rr.com)

[Snowbird]

Steve,
Check your email. I will be contacting you soon about your great work.

SB

[BAMullins]

You can now get info directly here. Any support you can offer to this program will be appreciated!