Field, playground celebrated
The Miracle League of Southwestern PA was founded almost 10 years ago with the mission of giving children and adults with physical and mental disabilities a chance to play organized baseball.
Saturday morning officials celebrated the beginning of another 10 years by cutting the ribbon on the newly resurfaced field and the new Pirates Charities “Out of the Park” playground in Graham Park in Cranberry Township.
The field resurfacing and new playground were the Cranberry Township Community Chest's 2016 Project of the Year.
More than 500 donors contributed to the project, which had a goal of raising $600,000, said Bruce Mazzoni, chairman of the Community Chest board.
The project would not have become a reality if it were not for all the contributions from residents, students, businesses and community groups, he said.
“People ask 'Why are some communities successful?' It's about building those partnerships that bring these things together,” he said.
The new playing surface for the Miracle League field is made out of ground-up rubber that was poured in place on top of a concrete base. The 26,000- square-foot playground area, built next to the field and beyond the outfield fence, has the same surface material, but with a rubber base making it more forgiving on children who may fall.
The playground has swings, a life-size pirate ship, spinners and other fixtures. There is also an area with a turf surface and two new pavilions for watching the games.
Pirates Charities sponsored the construction of the Miracle League field in 2008 and was also the largest donor to the 2016 project, giving $100,000. Chairman of the Pittsburgh Pirates Bob Nutting said Saturday that the successful league in Cranberry “lit a little fire in our hearts” and the organization has supported six other Miracle League fields since then.
“This is exactly why we launched Pirates Charities, to support the work people like you are doing,” he said.
Founder and president of Miracle League of Southwestern PA Mike Sherry told the crowd that when his daughter, Jordan, was diagnosed with autism, he looked to God and asked, “Why?”Years later he realized that it was actually a blessing to his family and to the community, he said.“He wanted us to use these fields and this baseball program as a way to shine a beacon of light on the world of special needs,” he said.Sherry thanked the many volunteers and donors who made the project possible. One of the largest donors was the Seneca Valley High School Student Council, which contributed more than $46,000 raised at its Raiderthon dance marathon and through other fundraisers.“We are so proud of what you have accomplished. We are so proud that you have understood that it's not just about money, it's about the lives of our students that we go to school with,” he said.Several people involved with Miracle League talked about the importance of the field and playground being inclusive to people of all ability levels.Brendan Allen of Cranberry Township, a sophomore at Seneca Valley, has participated in Miracle League since its first season in 2009.Brendan was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when he was 16 months old. It is a condition that causes skin changes and bone deformities and for Brendan it caused problems with his left leg. After years of living in pain and having casts or braces on his leg, he and his family decided to amputate the leg below the knee about three years ago. He now lives with almost no pain and is able to walk, run and play baseball with the help of a prosthetic leg.He told the crowd Saturday that many people take playgrounds for granted, not realizing that most of them are not accessible to children in wheelchairs or with other disabilities.“When I was younger, I would sit there and watch the other kids play and I couldn't play like they could,” he said.In Miracle League games, each child has a buddy who helps guide them out in the field. Brendan said his brothers Nolan and Connor got him interested in baseball and he enjoys seeing other children find enjoyment in the sport too.“I like fielding and hitting the ball, but I mostly like seeing the other kids being inspired to play,” Brendan said.Following the dedication ceremony, the Miracle League held a game on its new field.Lori Roberts of Franklin Park, Allegheny County, said many of the families on her son Jack's team, The Scrappers, have grown close during the past six years.Jack, 14, has played since the league's first season and his father, Fred Roberts, volunteers as a coach.“He absolutely is thrilled when he comes on this field,” she said.Barb Camus of Cranberry Township said her son Danny, 11, is in his third year playing in the Miracle League.Danny has autism and besides swimming he has never been able to participate in other organized sports.“He looks forward to it every week, it's great that he can play and be around his peers,” she said.The 2016 Project of the Year was the sixth done by the Community Chest. The ribbon cutting Saturday was the culmination of about 18 months of planning, raising money and construction, Mazzoni said.The 2017 project of the year officially kicked off at the township's Community Days in July. For the next project, the Community Chest hopes to raise $750,000 to construct a variety of sports courts and a community garden in Graham Park. More information about the Community Chest is available at www.CTCChest.org.
