Just a note to thank you again for the tremendous asset that your camps have been to our youth over the last several years. The kids we serve at the BGCSV rarely have access to the type of elite sports camps and training offered by CEF. Your expertise and experience teaching fundamentals, team work, leadership, and knowledge about baseball and softball is invaluable to add to the sports programming at BGCSV. In our effort to support all kids reaching their full potential, we strive to increase access for traditionally underserved and underrepresented youth to the same opportunities afforded to others across Silicon Valley. Your high quality programming is incredible and your commitment to community is making it possible to experience for kids at the BGCSV. We can’t thank you enough for the care and diligence you and your team put into offering these camps free of charge to our kids. Most importantly, we clearly see the tremendous value this investment of time, knowledge, and skill brings to our kids and our community. THANK YOU.

Steve Wymer

President & CEO

Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley

YMCA of Silicon Valley is dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable camps across the Bay Area. Our camps are family-centered and nurture healthy development, ensuring all children and teens have the tools to unlock their full potential. The baseball camps provided by Grind to Shine Baseball allow children and teens to learn and develop their baseball skills in a fun, creative camp environment. Not only do the campers end their day with smiles on their faces, but for many they are introduced to a game that can change their lives and help them reach their full potential. Grind to Shine Baseball is about providing opportunity for all to participate in a baseball camp and take away the treasures of the game

Jim Hori

President and CEO

YMCA of Silicon Valley

To whom this concern, I would like to express my overall experience with Justin Oliver and the Grind To Shine Baseball sports program. I had the opportunity to have Justin and his staff do clinics in our Sacramento area community at Luther Burbank HS. Just to share with you that were an intercity high school that is reaching out to our young diverse youth of boys and girls to make a difference in the building blocks that will create character, structure and a fun-loving environment for their future success. We unfortunately do not have all the resources to do that for these young people but are working diligently in our efforts. So, to know a program that reach out to make a difference like Grind To Shine is breath taking.

Our youth are in development need of structure and life skills and teaching them to do it the right way and having fun while doing it. It’s very challenging as they do not have the funds to go out and attend high priced camps and pay for instructors and trainers for these types of character-building blocks that they do not always get at home. Grind To Shine from my experience this past year and summer has shown the importance of a non-profit organization that is truly making a difference that was exemplified during the camp and expressed by all of the parents and youth that attended the camp this summer. It really keeps them in very positive atmosphere where they get so much out of it and are looking for the next camp the next step and how to be better and to work hard through the all efforts and communication of the camp staff. This I must say is a blessing and is much needed throughout these young people lives.

Gary Byrdsong

Luther Burbank HS Baseball

Community Liaison