Kevin Harvick Foundation Unveils Multisport Field in Charlotte

February 26, 2020

Charlotte, N.C. (February 26, 2020) – The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, the Kevin Harvick Foundation and Group 1001 today joined The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club to unveil a multisport playing field that will provide youth who need us most in Charlotte with a safe place to learn, play and compete. Speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony included Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Cup Champion and Kevin Harvick Foundation co-founder; Melissa Jacobs, vice president, sponsorships, Group 1001; and Steve Salem, president and CEO, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. “We are so grateful to have another opportunity to partner with the Kevin Harvick Foundation and Group 1001 to open another successful Youth Development Park,” said Cal Ripken, Jr., Baseball Hall of Famer & Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Vice Chairman. “We can’t wait to see the kids and local community in Charlotte benefit from the positive impact on the field and off of the field as well.” The 52,000 square foot multisport playing field is lined for youth baseball/softball and soccer. The facility includes a synthetic turf baseball field and soccer field. It is complete with a digital scoreboard, backstop, dugouts, foul poles, bleachers and sidewalks. The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club will manage and maintain the field and work closely with the Ripken Foundation to create programs to engage at-risk young people. The programs will address a variety of youth development needs, which include character development, health and physical education, and culture and history. “Being active and playing sports can teach kids so many great and valuable lessons,” said Harvick. “Thank you to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and Group 1001 for their hard work. This park is a great investment in the community and it will be in great hands with The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club.” “Growing up and playing a number of sports, athletic facilities were the backdrop to where I learned a number of vital life lessons and skills that set me up for success later in life,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of Group1001. “In my professional career, I often credit my wins – big or small – to the skills I developed on the field. Group1001 is committed to helping the next generation in Charlotte to learn the same lessons and to live healthier and happy lives. We are so thrilled that by teaming up with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, we are able to bring this beautiful field to life.” Since 1934, The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs have served the youth of Mecklenburg and Union Counties. The mission of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs is to enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. The eight Clubs in the area serve more than 1,500 members in the Greater Charlotte Area. To date, the Ripken Foundation has completed 91 multipurpose synthetic turf Youth Development Parks in 24 states and Washington D.C. This is the fourth Youth Development Park in conjunction with the Kevin Harvick Foundation, and the fifth park in the state of North Carolina. Over 427,154 children have access to a Youth Development Park. **Ribbon Cutting Photos (Photo Credit: Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation): http://bit.ly/CRSFCharlotteRibbonCutting About the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation For the last 18 years, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation has worked tirelessly to implement youth development programs and create parks that directly address the problems facing at-risk youth in distressed communities across the country. Inspired by one of the most iconic baseball families, the Ripkens created the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to honor the legacy of its family patriarch, longtime coach, and mentor, Cal Ripken, Sr. The Ripken Foundation uses sports-themed activities to bring police officers, youth partners and underserved kids ages 9 – 14 together on a level playing field to learn invaluable life skills. The Ripken Foundation’s Youth Development Park Initiative creates clean, safe places for kids to play on multipurpose, synthetic surface fields that promote healthy living in an outdoor recreational facility. Since 2009, the Ripken Foundation has 91 completed parks across the country in 24 states and Washington, D.C. In 2019, the Ripken Foundation impacted over 1.5 million kids nationwide through its Youth Development Park and mentor programs. For more information, visit www.RipkenFoundation.org. Follow @CalRipkenSrFdn on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About Kevin Harvick Foundation Established in 2010 by NASCAR Cup champion Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, the mission of the Kevin Harvick Foundation (KHF) is to support programs that positively enrich the lives of children throughout the United States. The foundation works to not only improve the quality of life, but to help underprivileged youth find and realize their dreams. To learn more about KHF, go to www.kevinharvickfoundation.org, follow on Twitter @TheKHFoundation or visit the KHF Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/KevinHarvickFoundation. About Group1001 Group1001 is a customer-centric insurance holding company with combined assets under management of approximately $36 billion as of September 30, 2018. We are reimagining the insurance industry experience in ways that empower people financially and help them live better lives. Our mission as a group is to make insurance more useful, intuitive and accessible so everyone can get the most value from their money. Group1001 believes education and sports have the power to transform communities. We partner with Fields & Futures and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to revitalize sports fields in communities across the country, to provide safe and nurturing spaces for young people in the communities we serve. Group1001 also sponsors the Power of Sports, which celebrates powerful stories of people and organizations connecting through sports while driving positive social change for children and communities across the U.S. For more information about Group1001, please visit us at Group1001.com. About The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs was founded locally in 1935 on North Poplar Street. Today, eight clubs serve more than 1,800 members in Mecklenburg and Union counties. Programs include academics, recreation, the arts, character and leadership, and health and life skills. The clubs are located in diverse neighborhoods from Charlotte Housing Authority sites to the nation’s only club in a homeless shelter. For more than 80 years, The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte (which includes the Clubs in Union County) have been serving at-risk youth in the community, creating a positive environment to help children excel in school and succeed in life. For only $5 during the school year ($60/week during the summer), school-aged children in Mecklenburg and Union counties can join the Boys & Girls Clubs, which provide a safe, positive, and fun place to spend time after school. The cost of membership is offset by contributions from the community. The Boys & Girls Clubs is a division of The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte. For more information, visit www.bgccharlotte.org.