Miracle League Field to Open in Spring
The Miracle League Field will be open to all children and adults in the local region - including those with disabilities from Armstrong County- when it opens in May.
By Jonathan Weaver
A year after regional community leaders broke ground on an Indiana County baseball field for those with adaptive needs, plans are taking shape for opening day.
Co-chair Nancy Sherry-Helsel said the Miracle League Field on the campus of the Indiana County YMCA will have opening games on May 9, 2015 - exactly seven years to the day that son, Mike, opened the Miracle League Field in Cranberry Township.
Registration for players and volunteer coaches, announcers and ‘buddies’ that assist players from all regional counties – including Armstrong - is underway.
“We have one more pavilion to finish and we ordered all of our bleachers and benches – a lot of stuff we won’t finish until Spring (but) the sidewalks are in, the paving is done, the grass has been seeded, the scoreboard is up – just have some finishing touches,” Sherry-Helsel said.
“This is open to all children with a disability that would like to play baseball – and adults as well. We’ll have a children league 5-18 and then we’ll have an adult league.”
Sherry-Helsel said it all couldn’t be possible without receiving a majority of the nearly-$600,000 fundraising goal – including from Kittanning families. $150,000 of that was donated from Pirates Charities September 20.
“It’s been numerous people – a lot of volunteers and helpers have helped do it all,” Sherry-Helsel said.
“It just builds you up more and more – I spend every day over there at some point. Every day you go over there, you’re heart just gets bigger with everything going on – when I saw the scoreboard go up, there were tears in my eyes.”
Children at the Cranberry location have also been playing fall baseball since the beginning of the month – including Sherry-Helsel’s 10-year-old granddaughter, Jordan.
An opening ceremony will prelude opening day with Pittsburgh Pirates front office personnel.
Regional News | jweaver September 29, 2014
By bumblebee, September 29, 2014 @ 11:52 AM
My son is 12 years old and would like to be a “buddy” next year. I would like to see about volunteering also. Does anyone know where I can get the correct forms to do this? Thank you in advance for your help.