82R30415 RYA-D
By: Gonzales of Williamson 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.