H.R. No. 2276

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The buddies and volunteers who take part in the
	Miracle League of Austin are making positive and lasting
	contributions to their community; and
	WHEREAS, The Miracle League, a program of the Town and
	Country Optimist Club, offers special needs children between the
	ages of 4 and 19 the opportunity to enjoy the fun and excitement of
	playing baseball; the participants get to be a part of a team while
	playing in two-inning games that last approximately one hour, and
	every person gets to bat and score in each inning; the seven-game
	seasons are held in the fall and spring and are played on The Round
	Rock Express Miracle Field, which was specially designed to safely
	accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, and other equipment; the players
	receive the assistance of at least one buddy, a volunteer who is
	assigned to protect and assist them in all aspects of the game;
	buddies are typically area middle and high school students between
	the ages of 12 and 18 who contribute their time on Saturdays to
	support the league's players; other volunteers help coordinate the
	buddies and manage league activities; and
	WHEREAS, The first Miracle League was formed in Rockdale
	County, Georgia, in 1998, and in the spring of 2006, Steve Brown, a
	member of the Town and Country Optimist Club's board of directors,
	and Adam Weisberg, a local restaurateur, began working to bring the
	concept to Austin; Mr. Brown and Mr. Weisberg enlisted the aid of
	countless volunteers and benefactors from within their community to
	make the league a reality; the Optimist club provided the land, and
	a major fund-raising campaign began to secure the $500,000 needed
	to build the specialized field; and
	WHEREAS, The fund-raising campaign was a great success, and
	the Miracle League received enthusiastic support from many
	businesses, including the Round Rock Express and the Nolan Ryan
	Foundation; among the individuals who also supported the effort
	were architect Michael Antenora, who designed the facility, Reed
	Seaton, owner of Hellas Construction, who contributed to the
	construction of the site, and Dave Fendrick, currently president of
	the Round Rock Express, who played an integral role in getting the
	baseball club and the foundation to donate $250,000 for the naming
	rights to the field; their generous sponsorship led to its
	successful construction; and
	WHEREAS, The Miracle League began playing in 2006 on existing
	softball fields until The Round Rock Express Miracle Field opened
	for play in fall 2007; since beginning with 2 teams of 23 players,
	31 buddies, and 7 volunteers, the league has grown to include 12
	teams of 180 players, more than 240 buddies, and over 40 volunteers;
	and
	WHEREAS, Through the Miracle League of Austin, countless
	special needs children have been able to participate in America's
	pastime, and this experience has brought immeasurable joy to the
	players, their parents, and the buddies and volunteers; now,
	therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby commend the buddies and volunteers of the
	Miracle League at Town and Country and extend to all those
	associated with the league sincere best wishes for continued
	success; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for the Miracle League of Austin as an expression of high
	regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
	Gonzales of Williamson
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 2276 was adopted by the House on May 26,
	2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House