Have you ever hiked the trails at Torrey Pines? Or visited Old Town? Or gone surfing at San Onofre State Beach? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, that means you’ve visited a California State Park. California is home to more than 200 State Parks, and more than a dozen of those parks are in San Diego County.

From San Pasqual to Anza Borrego, Cardiff to Border Field and everywhere in between, state parks draw thousands of visitors everyday who enjoy trails, waves, historic sites, and family photos.

A key partner in ensuring our state parks are taken care of is the California State Parks Foundation. The work the foundation does to protect, improve and advocate for State Parks earned applause and support at Petco Park yesterday, as part of our Going to Bat for San Diego initiative with the San Diego Padres.

Each year, Going to Bat supports and recognizes more than a dozen nonprofit organizations focused on safety and environmental stewardship. The California State Parks Foundation was the first up in this year’s Going to Bat starting lineup.

Park champions

Here in San Diego, the California State Parks Foundation operates the Park Champions program, a volunteer effort that has been instrumental in completing critical park enhancement and maintenance projects. The efforts ensure our State Parks continue to serve as a vibrant resource for recreation, education, and relaxation.

Each year, more than 1,500 volunteers dedicate countless hours of their time to help coordinate and execute Park Champions workdays. Millions of park visitors benefit from the work of Park Champions volunteers. Through Park Champions and other efforts, the California State Parks Foundation aims to bring new, diverse users into parks, particularly youth from underserved communities.

Going to bat all season long

2019 marks the fourth year that SDG&E and the San Diego Padres are partnering for Going to Bat for San Diego. Throughout the baseball season, SDG&E will donate close to half a million dollars to organizations that work to improve the local environment and keep our communities safe.

Congratulations to those nonprofits who are on this year’s Going to Bat for San Diego starting line-up:

• American Lung Association
• American Red Cross
• Balboa Park Conservancy
• Burn Institute
• California State Parks Foundation
• I Love A Clean San Diego
• San Diego County CERTs
• San Diego County Deputy Sheriff’s Foundation
• San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation
• San Diego Police Foundation
• San Diego Police Officers Association
• San Diego River Park Foundation
• STAR/PAL
• Tree San Diego

Stay tuned to all the Going to Bat San Diego activities by following along all season using #GTB4SD on social media.