Over 150 Volunteers Celebrate the Renovation of the Ballfield at JFK Park in Richmond

TLC for Kids Sports, in partnership with Alta Vista Solutions, the City of Richmond and O.C. Jones & Sons, Inc. recently welcomed Former Major Leaguer Bip Roberts to John F. Kennedy Park to celebrate recent improvements to the park’s baseball field, located in the Park Plaza neighborhood.

“Anytime you have kids on the fields and not the streets, you’ve accomplished a major goal,” said Former Major Leaguer Bip Roberts. “We want to make sure that our kids are safe and have a nice place to play. Not only a nice place, but a place they can call home so that when they leave here and they grow up and go off into this world, they’ll tell people where they came from.”

On May 16, 2015, general contractor O.C. Jones took the lead in construction that occurred on the community volunteer day. Over 150 volunteers, including a team from Overaa Construction, were mobilized to assist in construction activities that included: accessibility, fencing and dugout work, field grading and refurbishment, backstop refurbishment, base installation, spectator access and improvements, painting, landscaping, and various park improvements.

"The volunteer-fueled ballfield renovation event was phenomenal!” says Rochelle Monk, City of Richmond Chief Service Officer.  "Having neighborhood residents volunteering alongside corporate volunteers showed community building in action. With the many planned improvements for JFK Park, this event launched the park improvement project in a big way.  We are grateful that OC Jones and Sons and TLC for Kids Sports selected this ballfield."

“This is a great program,” said KNBR 680AM On-Air Personality Larry Kruger. “It’s all about growing up and playing ball in the park and trying to build your self-esteem and who you are going to be and find your dream. Often times it happens in the park.”

Sponsors assisted by donating funds, materials and services including:  Benjamin-Moore, CJ’s BBQ and Fish, Ford Hilltop, Marlon Hurtado Photography and Ken Cantrell Aerial Photography.