By Brad Brickel
July 29, 2011

Forest Hill, MD – The Aberdeen IronBirds and Ripken Baseball are making Awareness happen... By joining TeamRAACE the 6,500 fans who attend each IronBirds home game in 2011 will be one turn closer to a world free of abuse.

On Monday evening August, 1st at Ripken Stadium the Aberdeen IronBirds host “Cartoon Night” where The RAACE Foundation and TeamRAACE will launch its new “Educate Harford County” program. As part of the event The RAACE Foundation will have its giant “Time to Talk” Awareness Station and Game Wheel in the left field Family Zone for kids of all ages to win IronBirds and The RAACE Foundation tee’s, hats and other prizes. The RAACE Foundations “Time to Talk” display uses boardwalk/carnival style gaming as a way to slow people down, in order to talk about Child Sexual Abuse and distribute the new “Time to Talk Parents Guide to Protecting Your Child From Sexual Abuse.”

Most importantly - Educate Harford County title sponsor Korey Homes along with wheel sponsors 84 Lumber, 84 Components, The Bel Air Downtown Alliance, Smith & Smith Excavating, Smyth Jewelers, Ground Loop, Northeastern Supply, Harford Rental, Long & Foster Real Estate Agents Kristin Natarajan & Denise Patrick, Clearwater Pool and Spa, MJL Realty, MetLife, The Donate Your Ride for RAACE Program, Maryland Concrete Foundations Inc., Christopher J Salon & Stylist Kristine Smith North, Real Estate Title & Escrow, Weikel Sportswear, tcby, Schmitz Press, Bel Air Carpet, Horne Concrete, Jarvis Appliance, M-N-M Custom Plumbing, Jones Junction, Chesapeake Harley-Davidson and The Forest Hill Airport Industrial Park all felt that distribution of The RAACE Foundations new “Time to Talk Parents Guide” was the tool to help you protect your child.

Experts agree that if children are comfortable talking openly with their parents they are more outwardly confident and less likely to become victims of sexual abuse. Additionally, they are more likely to disclose at the first sign of an abusive situation.

The Parents Guide features a first of its kind prevention program called the "Step Up" exercise, 12 conversation starters - to effectively create age appropriate conversation between adult and child to protect against sexual abuse, as well as everything you would need to know about prevention with The RAACE Foundation.

To protect your child, it is essential that you recognize the harsh realities of child sexual abuse. Sadly, most abuse is committed by individuals entrusted to be with your child. In order to keep them safe, everyone must become informed and aware of the threats facing your family. The Time to Talk sponsors of The Educate Harford County Program and The Aberdeen IronBirds are making that education possible.

For ticketing information regarding The Aberdeen IronBirds, Ripken Stadium and Ripken Baseball, please visit http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t488. To become a TeamRAACE volunteer for any of The RAACE Foundations Educate Harford County Events please visit http://raace.org/volunteer.html.

The Educate Harford County Program begins Monday August 1st at Ripken Stadium for the Aberdeen IronBirds agme; continues at The RALLY for RAACE Charity Motorcycle Ride Sunday August, 7th, then goes to the Bel Air BBQ Bash August 12th & 13th then winds up at Ripken Stadium for two home games on The RAACE Foundation Night - Friday, August 26th and Educate Harford County Night - Saturday, August 27th.