|
|
|
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. |