Mr. B... A Legend Continues At Rockafellers

Across Rudee Inlet, in one of Virginia Beach’s favorite restaurants -- Rockafeller’s, Frank Baumann was known not only for his booming voice but for his big heart.  Each and every day, Frank would come into Rockafeller’s to greet the staff, the loyal customers and to ensure that everything was running smoothly.  The parties were booked, the fish was off the truck, the employees were in uniform and ready to begin their shift.  Frank captured the entrepreneurial spirit here in Virginia Beach and was as well known for his community vision as for his larger than life personality.

Sadly, eight years ago, something else became larger than life – Frank’s cancer.  Even a character like Frank couldn’t win this battle.  In honor of Frank, his wife and owner of Rockafeller’s, BJ Baumann, along with her family and Rockafeller’s restaurant family, have placed a dolphin at Rockafeller’s.  This dolphin is through “A Dolphin’s Promise,” a Virginia Beach sculpture project. 

A Dolphin’s Promise is a non-profit organization working in partnership with the city of Virginia Beach. Their goal is to bring hundreds of life size sculptures of dolphins to the shores and neighborhoods of this beautiful city. This is a project with a very important purpose – to raise one million dollars for cancer research and to help save and protect marine life. Ninety percent of all money raised will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, with the remaining ten percent going to the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program. Each uniquely decorated dolphin is also a pledge to do all we can to help fight cancer.