Foundation Accomplishments to Date:

As ambassadors of the Foundation, Ken and Bambi Dixey began a crusade to raise the awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning on houseboats.

The foundation efforts have made an immediate and direct impact on this nationwide problem. Some of the more notable efforts have included testifying at a Congressional Panel Hearing in Washington D.C. , which eventually forced the Coast Guard to recall existing houseboats. This move led to a lawsuit to reinforce the recall .

Double Angel has been featured nationally on 48 Hours News Show , and has been publicized locally through coverage with News 4, 9News, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News.

These efforts have encouraged many positive changes addressing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by involving many organizations including the Coast Guard, the National Park Service, and the houseboat manufacturers. Several boat manufacturers have completely retrofitted new boats to make them much safer for consumers.

Our purpose is to save lives. We have sent educational tapes to the head coroners in each state in the U.S. encouraging them to test all drowning victims near boats for carbon monoxide poisoning. We hope that by properly identifying these incidents as drowning due to CO poisoning as opposed to mere drowning, this may open some eyes nationwide and further help us force safety changes and provide further awareness.

 

 

Other proud achievements include:

  • Fourth year of providing sponsorships for underprivileged children to allow them to participate in the game they love
  • 40 acres of land secured through a long-term lease
  • Building permits have been acquired and Phase 1 of ballfield complex is under construction
  • Developed an extensive volunteer network
  • Secured in-kind services for construction process
  • Donor recognition brick campaign has been fully developed and implemented     
  • Developed a comprehensive website with ball field updates, CO awareness and fundraising information

  

 

Carbon Monoxide Awareness:

  • Alliance with Jane McCammon at NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
  • On-going progress reporting by Maureen West at the Arizona Republic Newspaper
  • Local coverage through 9News, Channel 4, Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post
  • National News Coverage including 48 Hours
  • Testified before Congressional Hearing in Washington, D.C. regarding the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning on houseboats
  • Coast Guard subsequently forced a recall of existing houseboats to correct dangerous CO emission
  • Successfully concluded a lawsuit to reinforce the recall
  • Developed a website that includes a vast database and library of materials related to CO poisoning and consumer safety

 

Future Goals:

  • Continue to work to construct and maintain a unique four-field baseball complex just west of Parker for all children to enjoy
  • Save lives by continuing to provide and improve our carbon monoxide safety campaign both on a local and national level
  • Provide baseball scholarships each year to youth ages 5 to 18
  • Develop and sponsor sports related special needs programs
  • Host local and national baseball tournaments
  • Make fields open to all youth across Colorado and beyond
  • Provide a venue for kids to attain required community service hours

 

About the Double Angel Baseball Complex:

  • The four-field facility will be state-of-the-art and complete with:
  • Lighted fields that will allow games to be played at night
  • Synthetic turf that will allow kids to play much sooner following inclement weather
  • Turf will help the foundation conserve our invaluable water supply
  • A training facility that will be available for coaches to provide winter training and off-season development
  • The foundation is in charge of scheduling, ensuring that youth always receive priority
  • Large-scale tournament capabilities
  • One regulation-size varsity field

Impact on the Community:

 

 

For many generations the game of baseball has provided youth from all walks of life the opportunity to share team spirit and experience a full sense of accomplishment. The Double Angel Foundation's mission is to enhance self-esteem, while fostering good sportsmanship, leadership and citizenship through team play.

The dangers of carbon monoxide from houseboats have been vastly underestimated until brought to the forefront by this tragedy. The efforts of the Foundation's ambassadors have created awareness that will save many lives in the future. This effort will continue.

 

Key components :

•  A non-political venue that will allow the Foundation to control scheduling of the fields, thereby ensuring that youth have priority for all games and practices as their needs dictate. This translates into more effective and flexible responses to special needs than a municipality can offer.

•  Need for additional ballfields is evident when many children in the community do not receive priority for scheduling. There are so many adult leagues filling the schedule that they often send the youth leagues to another county to fulfill their league commitments.

•  Ability to interact with other foundations, by providing opportunities for groups such as Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Childrens Hospital . Time and space will be reserved in the ballfield schedule to accommodate these special needs programs.

•  Generate funds for scholarships. The Foundation will sponsor up to 10 local little league ballplayers at $500 per child equaling $5,000 per year. Remaining funds can be used for additional programs

•  Provide an environment for community service . An agreement with local high schools to provide services for the complex in order to meet community service requirements.

•  An avenue for ongoing carbon monoxide awareness. Educational exhibits and plaques will be placed at the complex to make the public aware of the dangers.

•  Tangible way for community to respond to tragedy. The entire project is a way for people to respond in a positive manner to the loss of the two boys who were members of the community. A sense of pride will be felt by every person and company involved, knowing they made this project a reality.

•  Increased community spirit . Families can spend quality time together in the park, picnic, and garden areas.