76-year-old mom and her son give back to Rocky Mount through baseball

ROCKY MOUNT, NC (WTVD) -- In the same city the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the first version of his "I Have a Dream" speech, Rose Fox-Hunter also has a dream.

"We love our community," Hunter said. "For the beloved community, as Martin Luther King said. You have to work. You have to do the good work and so that's what we do all day every day. We don't ever take a holiday."

Eighteen summers ago, Rose and her son Geoffrey began managing the Buck Leonard RBI baseball league in hopes of keeping inner-city youngsters off the streets and on the field.

The league is all volunteer. Through grants, the city has helped to pay for uniforms and equipment for the players but a lot of the expenses come right out of the Hunters' pockets.

"I have to watch him because he's always ordering stuff for the children," Rose said about her son. "I said well, we are poor, too you know, don't forget that. We take a lot of risk but we have to. We live in the inner city. We are the inner city."

The program has encouraged many children to go on to play college baseball - and even professional. Brian Goodwin, the Washington Nationals center fielder was a part of the Buck Leonard League.

"I would hope that it would inspire others to see what can happen when you stick with something. Just to see a kid hit a ball for the first time. That's something great for that child," Rose said.

At 76 years old, Rose spends all of her time dedicated to helping these children. For Rose, seeing them succeed makes it all worth it.

"What else is it to do in a life, right? Other than share it and to give up yourself," she said. "It's a party for me. It's not a job."

If you would like to donate to the Buck Leonard league follow this link and then click on the donate button.