When I first met Vance Albitz, he was in high school in Southern California. I came to him because my youngest son was playing baseball, and he needed some practice on the side to improve. Vance loves baseball and offered to help my son improve his game by meeting with him on a local elementary school field several times a week.

He’d show up with a huge bucket of balls, pitch, pick up balls, and go through the same exercise for over an hour. I’d try to pay him, but he wouldn’t take money. A busy high school student with his own slue of extra responsibilities and he took this on just to help a young boy in his process. He did this because of his strong character and his love of the baseball.

Vance now plays for the Memphis Redbirds, a AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, and as he has grown, so has his character. He has started a charity to spread his love of the game to our Troops. Donators can send gloves, balls, or cash that go directly to getting baseball gloves on the hands of our troops. Check out this fantastic idea: http://www.gloves4troops.com.

As you make your decisions for giving, and clean out those old baseball boxes in the garage, think of Vance, think of our troops, and think of what a home run you can make by supporting this project.