David Ross is a father of two little children, 3-year-old London and 9-month-old Maia. But he's also a father figure to other youngsters through his work as a member of the 5th L, a Baltimore performance poetry troupe that often works with students, according to his wife, Courtney.
For that reason, Ross was honored Sunday at a Father's Day Festival, the first such event sponsored by Fathers Rock, a nonprofit group dedicated to showing appreciation for fathers and father figures.
"My wife told me, 'I nominated you for being a great dad,' " Ross said. "I said, 'Wow.' "
Fathers Rock was founded last year to combat negative stereotypes about fathers and recognize good fathers, said Kim Scott, a board member of the organization, which plans to move to Baltimore from Fairfax, Va., this year.
Turnout was low at the festival in Middle Branch Park because the venue was moved at the last minute because of permitting issues, organizers said. It was scheduled to be held at Federal Hill Park, but there was a problem with the paperwork and the group was forced to change locations, Scott said.
Scott said Fathers Rock would build on this year's event and other programs to generate support.
Still, fathers who attended the festival said they were grateful to have an event solely dedicated to them.
"Anything to celebrate fathers is needed as we're an unappreciated commodity," said Leon Purnell, 57, who attended with his 12-year-old son, Jordan.
Purnell, director of the Men and Family Center in Baltimore, said fathers also need a "fair shake" as more of them are raising children on their own.
Mario Johnson, 39, of New York, who was visiting his two sons, Benjamin, 9, and Noah, 6, said he was glad to have found a family-friendly activity on Father's Day.
"Hopefully, it becomes an annual thing," he said, as he watched his sons play in the moon bounce gym. "We need something like this for fathers to have something to do with the kids."