29 Sep Press Release: The Missing Child Project Honors the Daytona Tortugas
Jacksonville FL – September 19, 2022 – The Missing Child Project honors The Daytona Tortugas for their long-time partnership to generate leads and tips in the search for area missing children.
The Missing Child Project was founded in 2010 by former Minor League Baseball pitcher Dennis Bair. Bair had pitched for the team when they were the Daytona Cubs and approached them to place a photo inset of a missing child in the team posters. Later, the team proposed using a spare wooden A-Frame for the profiles as it enabled featuring more missing children. Every person entering the ballpark passed by the sign on the concourse. Florida State League President Chuck Murphy encouraged all FSL teams in Florida to adopt the wooden signs as did the Southern League, New York Penn League, and South Atlantic League. The sign became the model for the program.
Jim Jaworski, Tortuga’s General Manager and Rachel Morton, Community Relations Manager accepted the recognition that took place during the final game of the 2022 season at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
“The Daytona Tortugas and the Tortugas Care Foundation, led by Bob Fregolle and Jim Jaworski, have been partners with The Missing Child Project since the inception of the program. They are doing something real and tangible in the search for America’s missing children, and we salute them for their work then and now, in a post-pandemic society where the numbers of missing children have increased dramatically,” said Dennis Bair. “We are proud of the partnership that we have with the Tortugas and appreciate all that they do in support of their community.”
“We are proud to partner with the Missing Child Project and help bring awareness to an issue that is deeply important to us. Our platform allows us to reach an audience where thousands of people have the opportunity to become conscious of this problem that plagues the nation and helps bring the reality of the issue in our own backyards,” said Rachel Morton. “We look forward to the growth this project has in each community and team they are partnered with and are honored to be a partner.”
About The BairFind Foundation Inc/The Missing Child Project
Every year, thousands of children go missing. Their profiles quickly fade from the news and leads dry up. When the public stops looking, the chance of recovering a missing child decreases substantially. Using an innovative approach to sports-based marketing, BairFind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, produces high-definition signs that include profiles of area missing children and are placed in sports stadiums and arenas. In 2016, BairFind was designated as an official Charity Partner of Minor League Baseball, fueling a national expansion to communities across the country. Featuring thousands of missing children, our profiles reach millions of people on an annual basis. In 2022, The Missing Child Project, a registered trade name was launched as a rebranding effort, representative of partnerships with professional sports leagues, businesses and expansion of its high school project. The Missing Child Project engages youth in leadership and education of the growing societal issue of missing children and enlists them in the search.
About The Daytona Tortugas
The Daytona Tortugas are the Single-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Florida State League. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach, Fla. Jackie Robinson Ballpark also plays host to Bethune-Cookman University, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark Museum, and many community events and initiatives of all sizes throughout the year.
TheMissingChildProject.org l Twitter @BairFind l FB @BairFind l LI the-missing-child-project
PRESS CONTACT Ellen Sullivan l 904.716.0255 l ellen@bairfind.org