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"Anything that can help get out information about missing children is wonderful.
I can't even imagine the heartache parents go through. This program is really
great because it allows a person to keep the picture of the missing person."
- Dee Blair, Erie Fan
Hello, my name is Dennis Bair, and I have created an incredible new way to search
for missing children. I put on autograph sessions at minor league baseball
games in which the players sign team photos for the fans in attendance. I put a
picture of a missing child in the upper corner of the team photo, along with
that child's vital information. The idea is that fans - especially kids -
actually keep the signed pictures of their favorite players and teams. This
leads to prolonged exposure of the missing child's image, and a greater chance
of recovery!
I am a former minor league baseball player - after my junior year of college in
1995 I was drafted as a pitcher by the Chicago Cubs, and later signed minor
league free agent contracts with the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks.
An injury to my pitching shoulder ended my career.
Like all of us, I have seen countless photos of missing children on milk
cartons, on the walls at the post office, and on flyers in the mail. But I
always ended up throwing the milk carton away when the milk was gone. I would
also walk right by the pictures at the post office without taking the time to
look at them. And those flyers I got in the mail would inevitably end up in the
recycling bin or the garbage can. I thought there must be a better way to get
people to actually look at the photos instead of ignoring them or throwing them
away.
Then it hit me! If a ballplayer could sign the photo and give it to a kid at a
baseball game, that kid would actually look at it and, better yet, keep it and
show it to their family and friends! I could enlist children themselves in the
search for a missing child - and double the amount of eyeballs in the search! I
could bring new hope to the parents of a missing child!
I have held autograph sessions with five teams in the last five years, and 2 of
the 5 children I've featured have been recovered!
This summer (2006) I will be conducting autograph sessions with the Erie
Seawolves (Detroit Tigers AA, May 21st and August 20th) and the Charleston
Riverdogs (New York Yankees A, July 30th). The printing of the team photos will
be donated by Office Depot. I have received tremendous feedback from minor
league promotions directors, fans, and the players themselves for this project.
At each event people have encouraged me to build this into a nationwide
program.
My long range goal is to have individual athletes and teams in every major sport
across the USA autographing pictures of missing children! Also, to involve
Hollywood actors and actresses, and recording artists to put on autograph
sessions for their fans! My short range goal is to expand my program throughout
Minor League Baseball which attracted 41.3 million fans in 176 cities nationwide
in 2005 - a record total! What a massive impact we could have in the search for
missing children!
I have applied for 501(c)3 nonprofit status, and am based out of Pittsburgh ,
Pennsylvania. Please contact me if you would like more information, at
dennis@bairfind.org.
I have received incredible help from many friends who believe in this project.
They have given their expertise, time, encouragement, friendship, and vision to
BairFind. Together, we will continue the search for missing children.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jim DePasquale
Robert Gower
Jim Hampton
Tony Starace
WEBB LAW FIRM
Paul Reznick
Jim Bosco
BAIRFIND ROSTER
Jeanne Bair
Dennis R. Bair
Candace Bair
Richard Campbell
Paul Volomino
David Weitz
OFFICE DEPOT
Dixie Leonard
MENDEL MARKEL AND THE CREW AT JEWISH EDUCATIONAL TOYS
WEBSITE DESIGNER
Jonathan Wayne
CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS
Jim Pfander
ERIE SEAWOLVES
Rob Magee
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