Nina's Sports Bad Boys Blog World: Teen center opens with funds from HR Derby

Teen center opens with funds from HR Derby

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FULLERTON, Calif. -- You can thank Big Papi for a lot of happy teenagers in Orange County. When David Ortiz won the State Farm Home Run Derby in Anaheim last July, the Boys and Girls Club of Fullerton won $50,000 used for a massive renovation of their facility that was unveiled Wednesday.

"The grant helped us get the new kitchen, music room, batting cage, cement area where we play basketball. It basically turned it into a teen center," said Fred Johnson, Chief Professional Officer, Boys & Girls Club of Fullerton. "Without that grant we'd still be struggling to make it into a teen center and hopefully it will help us serve a lot more kids. We think it's going to increase our attendance by 60-70-percent."

The fruits of the labor were already evident, with kids playing basketball on the newly finished court and more kids were playing catch on lush, green grass. Still others were already admiring the recently installed batting cage, wondering when they can get in and start taking some hacks. The center also has a state-of-the art music room and computer center.

"All the events we put on and now you can see the significant events taking place," said Dennis Kuhl, Chairman of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who hosted the mid-summer classic in 2010. "It's great to see the results of putting together the All-Star Game and the State Farm Home Run Derby. So, here's where we are and here's what happened."

At the ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Johnson, Kuhl, Boys & Girls Club Vice President Frank Sanchez and State Farm representative Rhonda Shader, optimism was in the air for the teen center that took 8 1/2 years to complete and gratitude for the events that aided the completion.

"Big Papi did it for us," said Johnson, who chose one of his teens, Malik Rose, to pair-up with Ortiz during the derby. A staunch Angel's fan, Rose refused to wear a Red Sox cap. "I've worked for the Boys and Girls club for over 34-years and it was one of the most exciting events I ever worked, because I knew our teen center would really become a teen center."

"Major League Baseball has been a sponsor of Boys and Girls Clubs for more than 15 years," said Sanchez. "It's been a great partnership, they have given hundreds of thousands of kids opportunities to go to baseball games, to experience their jewel events. The All-Star Game, the World Series. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience when a young person can do that and Major League Baseball does that with this relationship."

"It's heartwarming," said Shader, whose company has raised $1.7 million for Boys and Girls Clubs since 2007. "This is real stuff. This is kids who had no other place to go and now have a fantastic teen center."

For the Angels, days like this are always good and they want to keep contributing to their community.

"Every little bit helps," said Kuhl. "I've seen some of the changes at some of the other clubs where the volunteers pitch in, it sort of gives you a ray of hope that it can happen, it can be done. Even though it was $10,000, a lot can be done when people volunteer and give their time."