Help Make Dreams Reality

Thank you!  All of you! All of our supporters! Because of you 2012 was a major success!  We held our first 5K, our first family fun day, and, with your help, built the first handicap-accessible field in the state, our field of dreams!  Fall marked our first season there, and boy was it a blast!

It's Giving Time

It's that time of year again!  Time to spread the love!  Whether you're looking to donate to a local non-profit or just trying to finish your holiday shopping online, you should consider us, the Miracle League of Massachusetts. Every penny goes straight to our players and the game!  We provide children of all ages with the chance to play baseball, at no cost to their families.  Furthermore, with your help in past years, we were able to raise enough money to build our own miracle field!

We've called it a wrap on 2012, but you can check us out in Acton this Spring! Stay tuned for dates and times.

To donate directly to our organization, check out our website! Checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 524 in Acton, MA 01720.

Just finishing your online holiday shopping?! How about doing some good while you browse!  You can donate to us without adding a penny to your online orders.  Just shop through GoodSearch.  Type in "Miracle League of Massachusetts" and add your email.  Then, proceed with your online shopping right through the GoodSearch website.  A portion of your order will be donated directly to us.  And GoodSearch has a ton of vendors to choose from like Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, and so much more! You can do this all year, but why not get started now!?

Player Profile: Matt T.

We know him as one-fourth of the power squad, the Fantastic Four, but our heavy-hitter, Matt T. has so much more to him. A junior at Acton-Boxborough, Matt is in the ODP Program. This 11th grader likes to spend his spare time playing Xbox 360. He loves Miracle League (the feeling is mutual) and he absolutely loves the military!

Let's get to know our super star Matt!

Get To Know...Buddy Cherie

If you've been to Miracle League a thousand times or just once, you know Cherie. She greets everyone with an infectious smile!

Cherie graduated from Wentworth with a degree in Interior Design and now works in Boston. However, she grew up in Acton, graduating from ABRHS, and still lives nearby in West Acton. There are many reasons Cherie makes a great buddy; her softball skills (from college), her sincere upbeat attitude, her nurturing nature (she's the big sister to a brother and two sisters), and so much more. Let's get to know one of our absolute favorite buddies...Cherie!

Player Profile: Patrick

Perhaps half baseball star and half fish, when Patrick is off the field, he's in the water. A lover of swimming, he spends a lot of time at two his favorite places, the "W" lakes, Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam. You could also catch him riding the waves along the coast of Rhode Island! But alas, we gill-less humans must spend some time on land, and so it goes for Patrick. The 15-year-old goes to CASE Collaborative and spends his land time listening to music, especially XM Radio, going to Classic Car Shows, riding his bike with friends, and watching and playing any and every sport you can think of!

Call to action: profiles

Looking for buddies and players to do profiles on!  If you or someone you know would like to be featured, please email us at pressmlm@gmail.com.

Thank You!

Just wanted to send a huge thank you to everyone who helped make our Father's Day Funfest and 5K a  major success.  From the vendors, to the volunteers, the bakers, to those brave enough to sit in the dunk tank, the runners, the donors, and those of you who managed to venture to NARA Park, the site of our future field, we couldn't have done it without you.  With your help, we raised $10,000 towards the Miracle Field.  To see a live tally of the dollars raised and needed to make our field happen, check out our website.  If you missed the Funfest, but would like to donate, check here.  And, if you'd like to leave your mark on our future field, you can find a brick buying donor form here.

Check out the fantastic article by Acton Patch here!

Father's Day is Coming!

The Father's Day Funfest is quickly approaching! Don't miss out on the fun and excitement of one of the greatest days of the year!

Everyone is invited to mix and mingle with local community members, our wonderful buddies and outstanding parents, and our incredible players! The event runs from 11-3 on Sunday, the 17th with free entrance to the fun!


We will have great food including B. Good Burger, Local Table, and Ben & Jerry's. Awesome music is a sure bet with The Buckners and RedFish BlueFish playing. Tons of carnival games including a life-size Angry Birds game, face painting, tattoos, and more will surely make the day a blast. We'll even have a dunk tank, featuring some of our favorite coaches and a certain radio host! The kids will enjoy our challengingly fun obstacle course and bounce houses.


Get competitive in our 5K, ice cream eating contest, carnival games, and obstacle course! For those interested in the 5K, registration is available the day of the race from 9-11, with the race beginning promptly at 11. For those interested in supporting our runners, check out more here!


Spend some time with Dad during our father-son Miracle League game, feasting on great food from our wonderful vendors, and soaking up the tunes of our awesome live bands!


Check our drum circle, help someone cool off in our dunk tank, snack on treats from our bake sale. Burn some calories in our bounce house. And make someone smile with balloon animals from our super cool clown!


Want to walk away with more than a good feeling, a huge smile, and some great memories? We are holding a raffle, with prizes including Red Sox tickets, Patriots tickets, and LMFAO tickets. You could be party rocking your way through Fenway into Gillette in no time!


All this fun and so much more awaits you this Sunday beginning at 11 (unless you're signing up for the 5K, then be there at 9). All the money raised from the event goes directly to the field for Miracle League of MA. Find out more about our field here! We hope to see you there!


 

 

Get To Know...Coach Joe

Coach Joe absolutely loves Miracle League (we're certain the feeling is mutual). In his own words: "I look forward to each MLM game and count the weeks leading up to the season. Through the seasons, I cherish the relationships I have built and grown with the players. Nothing gets me more than an unexpected hug from a player. Equally touching is to have a player share something personal that happened to them that week leading up to game day."

Coach Joe's enthusiasm on the field is matched by his enthusiasm for his family! He's married to the beautiful Lynn Vesey (28 years now!) and is a proud father of two lovely girls, Allison and Kayla (who have been buddies before). Joe works for GlobalWare Solutions, an eCommerce fulfillment/distribution and supply chain company. Besides spending time at work, with us, and with the family, Joe dedicates a lot of his time to the First Baptist Church of Littleton, Mass. And if there is one item he uses more than his baseball glove, its his passport! Joe and Lynn are world travelers! Some of the greatest traveling fans on the planet, (really Lynn more than Joe), the pair just returned from BVI Tortola! It is clear Coach Joe makes a point to get the most out of life, spending just about every moment doing something he loves. We can all learn from Joe to make the most of life by doing what we enjoy and enjoying what we do!

 

Father's Day Family Funfest and 5K

Members of the community, both near and far, are invited to Nara Park in Acton to join us for a day of fun activities, including bounce houses, clowns, games, and more. The day will begin with the first ever Miracle League of Massachusetts 5K and Walk! The USATF course has moderate hills and scenic trails that are great for runners and walkers of all levels and abilities. The race costs $20, with all proceeds going directly to building the Miracle Field at beautiful Nara Park. Register here!

The event is open to everyone and anyone. Guests will get the chance to meet Rich Shertenlieb of Boston's 98.5 the Sports Hub's "Toucher and Rich' show, as well as give to a great cause, all while winning prizes and races, meeting members of the community, and getting to know the players and volunteers that make up Miracle League of Massachusetts!

Who? All of you!

What? Father's Day Family Funfest and 5K (register for the race here, free access for all to the Funfest) and raffle! Prizes include Patriots and Red Sox tickets, among others!

Where? Nara Park in Acton

When? June 17, race starts at 11:00

Why? To help us build our field of dreams!

 

The first 100 runners receive free t-shirts and all runners receive one raffle ticket, more available for purchase at the event ($5 for 1, $10 for 3, $20 for 10).

Check out more about Miracle League of MA, our future field, and how to get involved here!

 

 

Player Profile: Henry

"Hammering Hank" is what Rich calls him as he knocks the ball out of the park each game day. Henry, who attends each and every game, is a first grader at Davis School in Bedford (where his classmates include girlfriends Lily and Abigail)! Our resident flirt, Henry spends his weekdays charming his teachers at school. When he's not in school or rounding the bases at MLM, he can often be found out on runs with Dad. In the last year, he's participated in two half marathons, several 5k's, and most recently the Boston Marathon. While Andy does the running, Henry clears the way with a a lot of cheerful "hello's," and a gentle "get out of the way" here or there. It should come as no surprise that Henry loves music, playing games and reading stories on the iPad.

Inaugural Miracle League Poker Run to Benefit MLM

The Inaugural Miracle League Poker Run is approaching. Join fellow bikers on May 19 to raise money, awareness, and appreciation for Miracle League of MA. The run begins at 11 AM, at the current site of MLM games, and will run through 5 PM, with a stop at the future home of Miracle League of Massachusetts. Other stops are TBD.

Who? Any and all riders. $20 per rider, $15 per passenger.

What? The Inaugural Miracle League Poker Run to benefit the kids of Miracle League.

Where? Begins at Blanchard Elementary School.

When? May 19. Registration is from 9-11, when participants are invited and encouraged to watch a Miracle League Game. The run wraps up around 5 PM.

Why? To benefit the amazing (and amazingly cute) children of Miracle League of MA. Help us build the field of our dreams! Check out more here.

To join the run, be sure to arrive between 9-11 at Blanchard Elementary school on May 19. Question? Contact Brian, the event organizer, at miraclepokerrun@hotmail.com.

To get involved with MLM, see our buddy forms or email us.

Thanks for being a part of our future!

Get To Know...Buddy Andrew

Andrew is in his final semester as an MBA candidate at UMass Boston. Despite having a hectic schedule, this full-time student manages to fit his favorite hobbies in. From sailing to skiing to fishing, he loves to relax and unwind in the outdoors. When the weekend hits, Andrew loves heading to Miracle League to meet his new buddy each week. when he's not playing catch with one of our wonderful players, he's engaging in one of his favorite hobbies: home-brewing (hence his favorite site listed below). He makes his own beer and has been doing so for just over a year now. Let's get to know buddy Andrew.

Player Profile: Justin M.

Justin is a sixth grader at Sanborn Middle School. And, on weekends in the Spring and Fall, he's the greatest National Anthem singer we've ever heard! When he's not playing with us at Miracle League or learning at school, Justin is very active. He swims, skis, and is quite the collector. He collects coins, as well as snow globes.

Last year, Justin completed the Chicago Marathon alongside some of his greatest friends. Justin described the experience as "fun but rough because of temperature change. One hour I'd be freezing cold and the next I'd be burning." His favorite part was "going along Lake Shore Drive.". He sums up the experience by thanking his team and expressing joy for the post-race celebration. "I was very thankful to my team, Triumph, for providing a special chair. In the end it was very exciting to get a medal.". Read an article on Justin's experience here. And, find out more about him below!

Get to Know...Buddy Meg

Meg is one of our favorite volunteers. She's been with the League through two wonderful seasons. When she's not on the field, she attends Acton Boxborough Regional High School where she's a sophomore. This super active buddy is also a standout athlete on her field hockey and softball teams. And when she wants to wind down, she spends time at her vacation home on the Cape! Let's get to know buddy Meg!

Check It Out! We're In The News Again!

Check out this fantastic coverage of our new field by Acton Patch Editor Patrick Clark.

For more information on our field of dreams, check out the pictures below and here.  Read more on our website.  See how far we've come with our fundraising, via our live campaign tracker!

Check Out Our New PSA!

And the local media attention its receiving!

Sign-ups are available!

It's that time again! We're just a few months from reuniting and nothing could feel better!  Finally we get to see all those smiling faces, both from players and buddies!  We don't know about you, but we couldn't be more excited to see our friends, feel that sunshine, and play some ball! We hope that every single one of you from last year will be returning! And, we hope to add a few beautiful faces to the field! We could always use another homerun champion, star pitcher, or fantastic fielder!  Sign-ups for players are officially posted.  Registration closes March 24.  So, sign up now and enjoy a season full of fun, friends, great baseball, and even greater memories!  To find out more, check out our website!

Third Annual Bowling Party!

Finally, we're all hoping for strikes! We've got a bowling date set up for March 3rd, with spots still available. The event is free and includes one game, shoe rentals, pizza and drinks. (Ain't no party like an MLM party!) Interested? Email Lauren at miracleleagueofma@yahoo.com.

Who? Our MLM family

What? The 3rd Annual Bowling Party

Where? Bowladrome in Acton

When? March 3rd at noon

Why? Because we haven't seen each other in a while, we need to catch up, we love getting together with friends (stop us now, this list could go on forever!)

Please remember that spots are limited, so you need to email Lauren (miracleleagueofma@gmail.com) to reserve one. We hope to see you there!

Player Profile: Josh D

We know Josh for playing the meanest air guitar this side of the Mississippi! But, when he's not rocking it, or hitting homers at our ML games, Josh is a 15-year-old sophomore at North Andover High School. He spends his free time playing basketball, riding his Green Machine, listening to music (a lot!), and hanging with family and friends. He absolutely loves Miracle League and we absolutely love him!

Get To Know...Coach Steve

We know him as fun-loving Coach Steve, who assigns us to our players or buddies each week and coaches us in our positions and at bat. You also might notice him slinking about the field, taking some of the best pictures a baseball league has ever seen (your baseball cards were made from his stunning pictures!). But, what you definitely notice him for is being quite the exact opposite of a belly itcher, he's one of our favorite pitchers!

But there's so much more to Coach Steve! His beautiful wife Donna has been with him for 18 years and they have two girls; Julia (11) and Sarah (9). The Northeastern U. alum grew up in Tewksbury but has lived in Maynard for the past 12 years where he works as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Winchester Schools. Ever the runner and of course naturally the photographer (was he born with a camera in that hand?), Steve, Coach Steve, is one of MLM's best assets! (And, he's a life long Red Sox and Boston sports fan! Just the way we like our volunteers!)

Extra, Extra! Read All About It!

Just before Christmas, Elizabeth Eidlitz of Metrowest Daily News, wrote a beautiful article on the wonderful world of MLM. Check out the coverage here!