The Kenosha Youth Foundation Miracle League (Kenosha, WI.)- Received $100,000 commitment from the Rotary Club of Kenosha.

 Grand Strand Miracle League (Myrtle Beach, SC.)- $8,000 raised during “Steak Out” dinner/auction with Outback Steakhouse.

$6,000 raised during “Beast of the East” strongman competition. Sponsors pledged money by the foot and their strongman pulled a fire truck 100 feet for the league.

Recently started “Bucks for a Ball” program. Paper baseballs printed with Miracle League logo are sold and displayed at local business and city government offices throughout Myrtle Beach.

 Miracle League of Morgantown (Morgantown, WV.)- Received $250,000 from Mylan Pharmaceuticals, a Pittsburgh based company whose CEO, Mike Puschar, is an active member of the Morgantown community.

 North Metro Miracle League (Alpharetta, GA.)- $6,000 raised during motorcycle ride organized by local Harley Davidson club.

Local News Articles

Hoping for a Miracle

Bill Thornton News Staff Writer Birmingham News

Thursday June 13, 2002 Birmingham, Alabama 

Moody’s commitment to a Miracle League ballpark by next spring will require time and money from many people. Modeled on the original Miracle League field in Conyers, Ga., Moody’s facility will cater to baseball playing special needs children in wheelchairs, walkers or those with Downs Syndrome. Diane Alford, executive director of the Miracle League, made the two-hour drive from Conyers to talk to the council last week before it committed to leasing property at the city municipal park. She had just come from a league dedication at a new field in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Miracle League hopes to have more than 100 fields across the nation by the end of 2003, and then to expand internationally.  Assisting the city will be Rob Conrad and Shannon Stevens, morning show hosts at WBPT-FM 106.9, who will line up sponsorships and donations toward the project. Though Moody and its partners will be learning as they go along, they can take notes from the Conyers project. Initially estimated at $500,000, its Miracle League field eventually cost $877,000, because of cost overruns. Bathroom modifications for handicapped patrons turned out to be more than expected. Alford said, as did the turf used for the field. The league’s subsequent fields have worked out these problems to bring the cost below $400,000, she said. For example, fields now receive a discount on the turf. Moody will have room for one field, restrooms, a concession area, walking track, pavilion and parking. There will also be space for a second field if the league wishes to expand later. Once the park opens, there can be up to two seasons for teams, with an eight-week schedule in the spring during April and May and a 10-week slate from Labor Day through early November. There are up to seven 90-minute games played on Fridays and Saturdays. Teams are made up of children as young as 3 to those in their late teens. Players are not grouped by their particular disability in teams, but are chosen freely to foster the notion of teamwork. No score is kept. Each player receives a uniform, all of which feature the insignia of Major League baseball teams. Every player has a turn at bat, advances the bases and takes a turn in the outfield.  The community’s commitment will be considerable, however, in time and attention. Even though each player is safe at home, an umpire is needed to make the call. There are other jobs. As Alford explained, each league requires a director, assistant director, secretary, sponsorships, registration coordinator, fund-raiser, facility director, coaches, assistant coaches, and the volunteer “buddies” who accompany each child around the base pads. Buddies are usually middle to high school-age children. Though this makes demands on parents, children and volunteers, the rewards are high, Alford said.  “In our school systems in Conyers, our special needs children no longer have to sit and eat their lunches by themselves,” she said. “They have friends. When these children are given the same opportunity as others, the self esteem they get is a big boost.” For Moody officials, the project will round out the municipal park expansion the city began in 1999.“When we built our municipal park, we thought we’d gotten every area covered,” said Moody Mayor Bill Morris. “We thought we didn’t need anything else. We were wrong. We’re going to correct that, starting today.”

Ceremony Highlight

Kelly Love, Special to the St. Clair News Aegis

Thursday, July 11, 2002Moody, Alabama 

At the opening ceremonies (July 6, 2002) of the Dizzy Dean State T-ball Tournament, Sammy Stinemire threw out the first pitch to begin the tournament. Stinemire is a physically disabled 17-year old who plans to play in Moody’s Miracle League when the facility is built.“We’re very excited about what Moody is doing for these kids,” said Dr. Jim Stinemire, Sammy’s father and pastor of Moody Methodist Church. “Our church is also excited about it. We’re planning for our youth to volunteer for the Buddy Program.”The buddy program will allow volunteers to assist the handicapped players. Moody held groundbreaking ceremonies for the state’s first Miracle League in June. Rob Conrad and Shannon Stevens of the FM radio station 106.9 are teaming up with local and county officials to make the field a reality. “Kids who thought they couldn’t walk and some who couldn’t talk are discovering what they are capable of doing, “ Stevens said.

MBA lunch nets over $10,000

Kelly Love Leeds News

Thursday, July 18, 2002 Moody, Alabama

 An emotional Moody Business Association President Dr. Greg Hivley issued a challenge to the 50-plus people at last week’s Moody Business Association lunch after a presentation about the Miracle League.“Dave Hill has said that if we’ll raise $5,000 today, he’ll match it,” said Hivley as business people began to pull out their checkbooks. “Let’s adjourn and allow time for that.”And match they did. After all was said and done, just over $11,000 was raised for Moody’s Miracle League.The money will give their ‘Field of Dreams’ a much-needed monetary boost and Phillip Deason, an organizer for the project, was more than pleased with the money.“We’ve got no doubt that the money will come,” said Deason. “It’s good to see it starting.”“We want to raise at least $400,000 now,” Deason told the group. “We want to start pushing dirt in September.” “We’ve broken down the needs for Alabama’s first Miracle League into three parts. Money, material and manpower,” said Deason. “That’s what we need most right now.”Deason stressed to the crowd from St. Clair County that this was not a Moody project. “This Miracle League is an Alabama League,” said Deason. “We’re going to involve a seven county area. It is not just for Moody.”Moody’s Miracle League is seeking to build a $400,000 facility that will feature a special rubberized artificial latex turf that is specifically designed for children with physical and mental handicaps. Rob Conrad and Shannon Stevens of WBPF-FM 106.9 had been talking with another community, said Deason.“But I got in touch with them through a mutual friend and I did everything in my power to get them out here.” The duo is raising money through their radio program.“Some of these children we will be serving have never been to a birthday party, or played in a baseball game,” Deason told the group." We've got to get ready for next April,” said Deason.

Miracle League moves first mountain

Kyle Shelton St. Clair Times Editor

September 13, 2002 Moody, Alabama 

The dream of providing children with disabilities a way to play baseball took a step closer to becoming reality last Friday when the earth begin to move in the Moody Municipal Park to make room for the Miracle League field there. At an early afternoon press conference, Moody officials, 106.9 FM Rob and Shannon Morning Show duo Rob Conrad and Shannon Stevens and Miracle League National Executive Director Diane Alford told workers from Russo Construction to crank earth-moving tractors and begin work. Amidst a blustery fall wind, Conrad told the crowd gathered for the event the dream was beginning to come true for children with disabilities in Alabama. “It’s chillier here, but our hearts are warmer because we are getting closer to making this happen,” he said.  Miracle League National Director Diane Alford said Moody was allowing those children to realize the impossible.  “It’s about having fun and giving the ability to expand their dreams beyond what they thought was impossible,” Alford said. Currently, there are 38 fields being built nationwide, with another 47 planned to be completed by Easter of 2003, Alford said. In addition, that officials are discussing at least two fields in international cities. The field in Moody is expected to cost about $400,000 to build.The Miracle League dream began in Conyers, Ga. April 15, 2000, when the first field was began, serving only about 30 children. Now, the first Miracle League field serves more than 240 children with disabilities. The fields serve children from five years old to young adults, using a “buddy” system to insure the safety of all the children. Because the children are able to play sports like their peers, Alford said they make strides in self-esteem, learning structure and learn the most important lesson of all.            “They learn that there are really no boundaries, just obstacles they have to try a little harder to overcome,” Alford said. “It’ not just about playing baseball-it’s also about building their tomorrow." That building begins with all children getting a chance to bat, run bases and play on the field with only minor difference from mainstream sports. No score is kept and coaches and a Miracle League committee scrutinizes umpires and all who involved with the children. The most important difference, however, is that all the children are winners. “The kids are always safe at first base and they are always safe at home,” Alford said. The Moody field will initially serve children in the St.Clair, Etowah, Shelby, Jefferson, Calhoun, Blount and Talladega counties according to Miracle League Director Phillip Deason. Construction for the field has been sponsored by donations of money or tine from several business and private sources, according to officials. One company, Russo Construction, was one of the first companies to donate to the construction and will furnish all the initial site work. Russo project manager Tommy Smith said it was easy to furnish work for the worthy cause. “Companies today are bombarded with requests for donations, but when I saw the (video) tape (of the Miracle League field) I immediately realized this cause was different,” Smith said, visibly touched. “When you help a small child that’s been challenged, I believe it’s a higher calling.”   Alford said the feeling of accomplishment never changes, no matter how many times ground is broken for another Miracle League field.  “I remember when we opened the second field in Myrtle Beach,” she said. “I went out the night before and stood on the pitcher’s mound and my phone rang and I burst into tears. I answered the phone and told the person who called ‘It’s no longer a dream, it’s a reality.’ And that’s how I feel about each and every one.”  She said the proof of accomplishment for each child comes years after they leave the Miracle League behind to build lives of their own.  “When I see a child that played on the field in ten or twelve years, with a college education and with a successful life, then I can say we helped build their self-esteem and allowed them to move forward.” The dream, says Miracle League Assistant Director and Facility Chairman David Treadwell, will begin coming true next spring. “We’re going to play ball here next April,” he said. “We may not have a concession stand, but we’ll have kids here having fun.”

Miracle League seeks volunteers

William Thornton News staff writer Birmingham News

Wednesday, November 20, 2002 Moody, Alabama 

With construction work beginning on Moody’s Miracle League Field, organizers are now canvassing metro Birmingham and beyond for volunteers for its teams and services.  Moody’s Miracle League project, which will provide physically and mentally handicapped children with a baseball field and teams, will need almost 100 volunteers by April when the field is scheduled for completion. A five month deadline means organizers cannot trust that “if you build it, they will come,” said David Treadwell, assistant league director.  “We’ve gotten donations from all over, but we’re going to need people for this to be a success,” he said. “This is people intensive. It won’t work if it’s a bunch of Moody folks. We’ll burn out. There are needs to be area wide interest if this is going to be a success.”  Modeled on the original Miracle League field in Conyers, Ga., Moody’s facility will provide the chance to play baseball for special needs children in wheelchairs, walkers or those with Down Syndrome. There can be up to two seasons for teams, with an eight-week schedule in April and May and a 10-week slate from Labor Day to early November. Teams are made up of children as young as three to those in their late teens. Players are not grouped by their particular disability in teams, but are chosen freely. No score is kept. Every player has a turn at bat, advances the bases and takes a turn in the outfield. Coaches and assistant coaches as well as the volunteer “buddies” who accompany each child around the bases. Buddies are usually middle to high school age children. Umpires and announcers will be needed for each game, and “team moms” to oversee each team’s operation and individual needs. As Treadwell explained, the league commitments for each job. “We can’t have one person just to do the concession stand,” he said. “We’ve got to have several for several nights, and folks on standby if somebody can’t make it. We need redundancy." Organizers have been making the league’s sales pitch at city councils and civic meetings throughout north Alabama since work on the field began. But as donations have been coming in, the call for volunteers has picked up a notch. Some commitments have come in from area churches and clubs. The league has already begun the task of identifying children who might join teams once the field is completed. By April, they hope to have a few orientation sessions for all teams and volunteers to be ready.   “Our first day out there, we don’t want everyone going out cold turkey,” Treadwell said.