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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The buddies and volunteers who take part in the |
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Miracle League of Austin are making positive and lasting |
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contributions to their community; and |
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WHEREAS, The Miracle League, a program of the Town and |
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Country Optimist Club, offers special needs children between the |
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ages of 4 and 19 the opportunity to enjoy the fun and excitement of |
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playing baseball; the participants get to be a part of a team while |
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playing in two-inning games that last approximately one hour, and |
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every person gets to bat and score in each inning; the seven-game |
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seasons are held in the fall and spring and are played on The Round |
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Rock Express Miracle Field, which was specially designed to safely |
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accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, and other equipment; the players |
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receive the assistance of at least one buddy, a volunteer who is |
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assigned to protect and assist them in all aspects of the game; |
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buddies are typically area middle and high school students between |
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the ages of 12 and 18 who contribute their time on Saturdays to |
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support the league's players; other volunteers help coordinate the |
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buddies and manage league activities; and |
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WHEREAS, The first Miracle League was formed in Rockdale |
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County, Georgia, in 1998, and in the spring of 2006, Steve Brown, a |
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member of the Town and Country Optimist Club's board of directors, |
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and Adam Weisberg, a local restaurateur, began working to bring the |
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concept to Austin; Mr. Brown and Mr. Weisberg enlisted the aid of |
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countless volunteers and benefactors from within their community to |
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make the league a reality; the Optimist club provided the land, and |
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a major fund-raising campaign began to secure the $500,000 needed |
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to build the specialized field; and |
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WHEREAS, The fund-raising campaign was a great success, and |
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the Miracle League received enthusiastic support from many |
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businesses, including the Round Rock Express and the Nolan Ryan |
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Foundation; among the individuals who also supported the effort |
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were architect Michael Antenora, who designed the facility, Reed |
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Seaton, owner of Hellas Construction, who contributed to the |
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construction of the site, and Beto Boggiano, who served as the |
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project manager; and |
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WHEREAS, The Miracle League began playing in 2006 on existing |
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softball fields until The Round Rock Express Miracle Field opened |
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for play in fall 2007; since beginning with 2 teams of 23 players, |
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31 buddies, and 7 volunteers, the league has grown to include 12 |
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teams of 180 players, more than 240 buddies, and over 40 volunteers; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Through the Miracle League of Austin, countless |
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special needs children have been able to participate in America's |
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pastime, and this experience has brought immeasurable joy to the |
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players, their parents, and the buddies and volunteers; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend the buddies and volunteers of the |
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Miracle League at Town and Country and extend to all those |
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associated with the league sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Miracle League of Austin as an expression of high |
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regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |