POINTS OF INTEREST INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Diamond Legacy VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1 JANUARY 2015 Graduate Corner 2 Madison Bumgarner Message From Alumni Chairman A New Home for 3 Brrrrr! It’s cold outside, Babe Ruth League but we hope the stories contained in this newsletter will warm your hearts. Estate Planning 4 Looking back, looking forward...with the Capital Building Campaign. This Alumni Achievers 5 campaign is almost behind us, and I am happy to forward to an even better began volunteering in 1962 reflect on our success. future for Babe Ruth as a coach and then as a While we didn’t quite League and the Alumni League President.. In 1984, Ruth is the Best 6-7 reach our goal to raise Association. I was elected Arkansas Ever $100,000 towards the State Commissioner and purchase of a new With this column, I would elected as Southwest Headquarters Building for like to wish everyone a Regional Commissioner in Making Kids Smile 8-9 Babe Ruth League, Inc., we happy and healthy New 1988. Since 2007, I have came close. Year. I’d like to pay tribute been serving as Chairman to our newest family of the Board. I have a The campaign benefitted members the many special love and pride for leagues, participants, the Babe Ruth program. To Those We 10 greatly from the generous Over four decades of Lost support of many BRL families and friends who Regional and State joined Babe Ruth League in service, I am still as excited Commissioners, 2014. Congratulations on about the milestones and volunteers, members of the choosing the best youth achievements we have Volunteer 11 Alumni, and several baseball and softball reached for our Spotlight companies and program in the world— participants as the day I John Phillips organizations. I would like Babe Ruth League, where first started. to personally thank Joe the player comes first. Classmates 12 Many of you can relate to Celebrate 50 Cormier, George Lally and Years Bill Pullan for going that Everybody has a life story; my story. However, extra mile to help make and for you and me, part of whatever your life story, this campaign a huge that is a “Babe Ruth please share it with the Support our New 13 success, especially during League” story. As we Alumni by emailing Partners difficult economic times. approach 2016, the 65th [email protected]. anniversary of BRL, we So let’s look back with a will be celebrating ”BRL” deep sense of pride and life stories. satisfaction at our historic accomplishment, and look Briefly, here’s mine. I PAGE 2 Graduate Corner — Madison Bumgarner Madison Bumgarner, a graduate of the most famous the Hickory, North Carolina Babe Bumgarner, Madison Ruth League, is a giant among Bumgarner. giants. A pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, Bumgarner had a Madison Bumgarner life-changing season in 2014. is a down to earth country boy, who Remaining cheery has been easy for owns a house about Bumgarner, the Most Valuable 30 minutes from Player of both the National League Bumtown that he uses during the Championship Series and World offseason. In fact, he didn’t even Series. He also received Silver own a suit until he had to purchase Slugger and GIBBY Awards. one to accept the Sportsman of the However, his latest accolade, being Year Award. named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year gave him a sense of awe. Not only did Madison marry his high school sweetheart, Ali, who is Unlike the other honors he has also from Bumtown, but he married received, Bumgarner beat out top her in a private ceremony while performers from all sports. The wearing jeans and carrying a pocket Sportsman of the Year award has knife. been given annually since 1954 to the individual or team who, in the Madison, when asked about his magazine’s estimation, best hometown during spring training personifies the spirit of said, “It’s just home. It’s where I sportsmanship and achievement. grew up. I always look forward to going back there. There’s no place Madison Bumgarner is from a place like home for anybody. That’s nicknamed “Bumtown”. pretty much it, I guess. There are “Bumtown” was so named a century definitely a lot of Bumgarners there. ago for all the Bumgarners living on But it’s just home.” both sides of Deal Mill Road— which is actually a mile northeast of Babe Ruth League is proud of Sawmills, four miles southeast of graduate Madison Bumgarner, Hudson, three miles northeast of especially for being recognized for Granite Falls, three miles west of the “spirit of sportsmanship and Oak Hill, nine miles south of Lenoir, achievement”, life lessons the four miles northwest of Dudley program is honor to teach its Shoals and 10 miles northwest of participants. The following quote Hickory. says it all. About 100 Bumgarners still live in ..It will not matter what my bank Bumtown today. account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the Bumtown is a town that isn’t a town. world may be different because I was But this isn’t nowhere—not important in the life of a Child. anymore. This is the hometown of DIAMOND LEGACY VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1 PAGE 3 A New Home for Babe Ruth League Since the early 1970’s, Babe Ruth League has been headquartered in a 4,020 square foot building located on a small neighborhood street in Trenton, New Jersey. The program has been growing and evolving rapidly over the past decade. So much that even with the many renovations made to the current Headquarters, the organization has outgrown its present location. Due to such circumstances and based on the direction of the Board of Directors, it was decide to relocate the main Headquarters. The Babe Ruth League Alumni Association established an unprecedented Capital Building Campaign to raise funds to help finance a new Headquarters building. Many of you donated or pledged a gift to the campaign. Because of your generosity, the hopes for a new Headquarters have become a reality. On December 9, 2014, the Babe Ruth League Executive Staff purchased a new Headquarters building. BRL President/CEO Steven Tellefsen said, “We are so excited we have found an ideal location in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, the birthplace of the Babe Ruth program, for our new Headquarters. We also selected this site as the building is much larger than our current Headquarters, which will allow us to better service our leagues and participants.” The new facility is more than double the size of the League’s current office, allowing space for a Hall of Fame/Museum area, Board/Conference room, mailroom/print center, and storage and receiving. Babe Ruth League has contracted a builder to assist with renovations, and the new building will have a contemporary flair making it inviting and welcoming for people of all ages. If all goes as planned, Babe Ruth League will move into its new permanent home within the next year. As the saying goes, “each one of us can make a difference. Together we make change.” Thanks again to every one who contributed to the Capital Building Campaign. Being able to provide the resources to match the remarkable commitment of the Babe Ruth program is the best investment for youth we will ever make. VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1 PAGE 4 Estate Planning Estate planning is a peace of mind that your legacy will live on. It is one of the most far-reaching endeavors a person can undertake, since it will continue to affect those one cares about long after they are gone. But it is also one of the most complicated undertakings. Q. Estate planning can seem so overwhelming! What are the three most important steps when creating a will or estate plan? A. Step1: Set your goals or objectives. You may wish to consider: who will manage your estate (Executor and Trustee), who will receive assets at your death, and the tax consequences of your estate plan. Step 2: Organize your financial information so your attorney can understand what your assets are and how they are titled. Begin this process by creating a list of all your assets and their approximate value. Often, the previous year’s income tax returns are helpful. Step 3: Put together your team of advisors. This team should include an attorney who specializes in estate planning,. You may also want to consider a financial planner, and/or an accountant, and/or a life insurance professional. Q. What are the benefits of including a charitable/nonprofit organization in your estate plans? A. For many people, their favorite charities or nonprofits are extremely important to them and would like them to continue to receive their support after they are gone. Establishing charitable bequests and/or naming an organization you care about, such as Babe Ruth League, as a beneficiary of your IRA or other retirement plan is a simple way to leave a lasting impact and ensure future support. By letting a charity know you have included them in your estate plans, you can enjoy a strong relationship with the organization that means the most to you in your lifetime, and feel confident your gift will make a difference in the future of the organization. Keep in mind that making a charitable gift to a charitable and/or nonprofit organization such as Babe Ruth League, during your lifetime may also reduce your taxable estate, and, in some cases, provide an income tax deduction. Q. What will I gain by creating an estate plan? A.