On December 4th, Doug Kempton joined us to educate our club about Soar Detroit. In 1998, Doug began playing recreational league sports at Balduck Park, located at the corner of Chandler Park Dr. and E Warren Ave. When Doug first got involved with the park, it was clear that it was in need of help. Soon after, Doug helped found Eagle Sports Club, now Soar Detroit, to address landscaping and structural repairs within the park. At that time, Detroit's Parks and Recreation program was not focused on the area, which contributed to the park's neglect.
Within a few short years, Soar Detroit was able to make significant contributions, particularly with landscaping repairs and, most notably, improvements to the baseball diamond. Before the repairs, the baseball field was a bare dirt patch. Today, it is a wonderful place for the community to gather and play ball. Soar Detroit worked with Major League Baseball (MLB) and the City of Detroit to complete these repairs, investing a combined over $2.5 million to install state-of-the-art lighting, scoreboards, batting/pitching cages, and irrigation. Soar Detroit has served over 30,000 kids through sports.
In 2005, Soar Detroit expanded beyond sports, by opening tutoring programs and partnering with several non-profit organizations and Detroit Public Schools (DPS). Educational experts have estimated that if a child is not reading proficiently by third grade, it can have a detrimental effect on their future learning. To combat this, Soar Detroit offers one-on-one literacy tutoring, providing two hours of instruction per week for students in the Detroit area. Currently, the tutoring program operates in DPS elementary schools. This year, Soar Detroit will help over 400 students improve their literacy skills.
Soar Detroit is always looking for volunteer mentors/tutors to help improve reading levels for students. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit soardetroit.com.
Thank you, Doug, for joining us and for the great impact you’ve had on the community!