By Gwen Sour
For The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
PARKERSBURG — Individuals with disabilities took the field at City Park on Saturday during a Miracle League of the Mid-Ohio Valley demonstration game as organizers continued working toward a permanent home for the program.
Brian Lee, president of the organization, said the effort began about two years ago with the goal of bringing an inclusive baseball program to the region. Saturday’s game offered an opportunity to raise awareness of that project, he said.
Lee estimated 25 or 26 players were participating. Eighteen signed up in advance, with others arriving for the game.
“The smile on the faces of these athletes is incredible,” Lee said. “It’s infectious.”
Members of the Parkersburg South High School baseball team helped with Saturday’s game. Lee said he believed it was the team’s third time volunteering with the league.
Owen Hayek, a member of South’s baseball team, said he volunteered because he enjoys working with children and being involved in the community.
“It brings me happiness and joy whenever I come and do stuff in the public,” he said. “Everybody’s a person, and they all deserve to be treated the same.”
The organization regularly works with baseball programs and other groups to support its demonstration games, Lee said. The Warren baseball program is among those that have volunteered.
Volunteer assistance is part of the broader Miracle League model. According to the national organization’s website, the program uses a buddy system that pairs athletes with people who help them participate in games.
Along with holding demonstration games, local organizers are working to identify a location for a permanent facility. Lee said the organization was in discussions with West Virginia highway officials about a possible site where it could build.
Accessibility is a central feature of Miracle League facilities. According to the national organization, its fields use specially designed rubberized surfaces that accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices, addressing barriers players can encounter on conventional grass fields.
The first Miracle League field opened in Conyers, Georgia, in April 2000. By 2002, fields had opened in several other states, including West Virginia, according to the organization’s website.
Lee described giving someone the chance to do something they would not normally be able to do as a gift.
“If anybody would love to know why we’re doing it, then I encourage them to come and just watch a demonstration game,” he said.
More information or for those interested in volunteering with The Miracle League of the Mid-Ohio Valley can be found on the group’s Facebook page.
Gwen Sour can be reached at [email protected].
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