Polly Bond entry 2026
Category: Visual Arts / Graphic Design
Safe at Home
An outfield sign for Frawley Stadium—home to the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the High A Affiliate of the Washington Nationals.
Bishop Brown points to the diocesan outfield sign after throwing out the first pitch.
Outfield sign at Frawley Stadium — home of Blue Rocks baseball
Goals: The goal of the Safe at Home third-tier outfield sign at Frawley Stadium—home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the High-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals—was to communicate a clear, welcoming message of ‘belonging’, to a broad and diverse public audience through bold, minimal, and highly visible design. Drawing on baseball language, the phrase “Safe at Home” was intentionally chosen to connect the setting of the stadium with a deeper message of hospitality, safety, and inclusion, while the subtitle “A Place for Everyone” reinforces the Church’s commitment to radical welcome.
The design prioritized visibility and accessibility from long distances by using large-scale imagery, limited text, and high-contrast placement. Featuring four young people from the Episcopal Church in Delaware—a young priest, a teenager, and two young adults—the sign reflects diversity and speaks especially to families and younger audiences who make up a significant portion of stadium attendees. Purposefully, the only branding included is the URL, www.delaware.church, inviting curiosity without denominational barriers and allowing viewers to engage on their own terms.
Audience: The primary audience for this signage includes the more than 225,000 annual visitors to Frawley Stadium, with particular attention to families, who represent approximately 63% of attendees. Secondary audiences include commuters and passersby traveling along I-95 and individuals exiting the stadium area, extending the sign’s reach beyond game-day audiences.
The youthful imagery was intentionally selected to resonate with families, teenagers, and young adults, while the universal language of home and belonging speaks across age, background, and faith experience.
Summary: Installed as a large-format (8’ x 28’) third-tier outfield sign at Frawley Stadium—home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the High-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals—the Safe at Home sign occupies one of the stadium’s most visible placements. Positioned at the top of the outfield signage, it is easily seen from throughout the stadium, from exiting traffic, and from I-95.
The layout uses large, expressive photography of four young people, whose faces and body language communicate openness and approachability. The minimal text—“Safe at Home” and “A Place for Everyone”—allows the message to be quickly absorbed by viewers at a distance, while the baseball-themed phrasing grounds the message in the context of the ballpark. The absence of overt institutional branding ensures the message feels invitational rather than insider-focused, reinforcing the Church’s desire to reach beyond its walls and meet people where they are.
Metrics: Effectiveness was measured through audience reach, placement visibility, and contextual exposure rather than direct response metrics. With over 225,000 stadium annual visitors and additional impressions from I-95 traffic and post-game vehicle flow, the sign achieved sustained, high-frequency exposure in a family-oriented public venue.
As one of only two third-tier signs at the stadium, its elevated placement ensured maximum visibility.