Battle of the Badges - Charity Softball Game Hosted by OBT

Brooklyn, NY – Police officers can sure be competitive – but last Saturday it was all in good fun and for a great cause. On September 26, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (OBT) hosted its first ever Battle of the Badges softball tournament, which took place at KeySpan Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones. More than 1,100 guests enjoyed a fun day filled with games, activities, and entertainment for the entire family.

A total of three games were played with the NYC Corrections Department, the Port Authority Police Department of NY & NJ, the Newark Police Department, and the NYPD. They went head-to-head to see which team would bring home the OBT Hero’s Trophy. This year’s champions were Port Authority Police Department of NY &NJ, winning the final game against the NYPD by a score of 2 to 0.

“It was a huge success. I can honestly say the event was the most enjoyable event OBT has ever hosted. It was very well attended, and provided the opportunity to promote OBT’s mission and services” remarked OBT Executive Director Randy Peers.

All proceeds from the event go towards supporting OBT’s programs and services. OBT’s mission is to help disadvantaged youth and adults recognize their own self-worth, and advance towards self-sufficiency and financial security through job training, academic reinforcement, improved life skills, job placement, and support services.

Frank Morizio, Jr., OBT Board Chairperson who attended along with his family noted “The event went great. The games were fun to watch, and more importantly, we had activities for the entire family. Next year promises to be an even larger success.”

Sponsors for this year’s event included Lutheran Health Care, Health Plus, Morgan Stanley, The NY Post, CircMode Media, Amalgamated Bank, West Side Riffle and Pistol Inc., and the Sunset Park Alliance for Youth.

Coincidentally, the birthday for the late Sister Mary Franciscus, OBT founder, was also on September 26. There are no words powerful enough to describe the void Sister Mary left when she passed. We suspect she was smiling down on Coney Island that day as OBT showcased many of its youth trainees who also volunteered to work the event. Also in attendance was OBT co-founder Dolores Abbruscato who retired in 2007.

The idea for the event came from OBT Board Member Angel Lopez, who is also a Port Authority Police Officer, and organized by Deborah Roman, Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator for OBT.

For more information about Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow and its programs visit the website www.obtjobs.org

Event Pictures