Field of Dreams
Published: June 29, 2007
Karen Pusey’s vision for a field of dreams will finally become a reality this weekend when she and others break ground on a new baseball field specially designed for children with physical handicaps.
Through a partnership with Chesterfield Youth Softball Association (CYSA), Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Richmond Braves, dozens of local business and hundreds of contributors, the Miracle League field has been fast-tracked with a fall completion date.
Construction on the cushioned, synthetic turf, water-permeable field with painted lines and bases will begin at the end of May. Pusey and Gregory Curtis, CYSA president and now Miracle League president, are optimistic handicapped youngsters will play “fall ball” on the new field in September.
Currently, standard grass and clay Little League fields with raised bases are available for children with special needs through the Challenger League program. However, standard fields are not suitable for wheelchairs, walkers or crutches, and wet conditions make them virtually unusable for handicapped youngsters. The new Miracle League field will eliminate those barriers.
The national Miracle League Association provided the basic design for the field, but funds had to be raised – a responsibility Pusey took on herself. Starting with the Miracle Live Auction and Gala last February, the Miracle League’s funds have grown to $160,000.
The original cost estimate for the field of $300,000 has now been revised downward to $209,000. In order to get the project up and running to have the needs of this special group of children served as quickly as possible, some amenities have been delayed. Permanent restroom facilities and brickwork around both the dugouts and score board were put on hold.
“We cut some things back in order to get it up and going. We’ll add those other things later,” Pusey said.
There are more than 7,000 special needs kids in Chesterfield County who could enjoy and benefit from the Miracle League field, and businesses and civic groups as well as private citizens have recognized and responded to that need.
With Chesterfield’s parks and recreation department on board as a co-sponsor, the Miracle League will be included in the department’s course catalogues and other marketing efforts.
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