Donate for These Smiling Faces

Looking to donate to a worthwhile organization where you know your money will go to good use? As the year comes to a close, and the holidays are quickly aproaching, please consider reaching into your pockets and donating to Miracle League of MA.  Donations will go directly to buliding a turf field for our amazing players to use all season long!  To find out more about our organiztion, our field of dreams, and how the fundraising effort is going, check out our website.

To donate directly to the Miracle League of Massachusetts with your credit card, click on the PayPal link. (You do not need a PayPal account to donate online, just a credit card.)

Checks can be mailed to:
Miracle League of Massachusetts
PO Box 524
Acton, MA 01720

 

Online donations are guaranteed secure.  You can also donate through our website!

Resolutions for 2012

The holiday season is officially here. Some of us are experiencing icy roads and some of us are experiencing what New Englanders refer to as shorts weather. But certainly what we are all experiencing is that holiday spirit. A sense of togetherness, kindness, and merriment takes over towards the end of the year! Then, we get to start fresh, making resolutions for the year to come. Want to get healthier, run a marathon, read a book, quit smoking? Now is the time! What are your resolutions for 2012?

Our New Year's resolution is to be the best blog ever! But to do that, we need your help! Beginning the first week of 2012, we want to have a feature post every week until the start of the Spring season! We want to focus on all of our Miracle Leaguers; volunteers and players! If you or your child would like to be featured, please email us specifying whether you are a player or volunteer.

Wishing you the best this Holiday season! Be sure to share your resolutions below!

Happy holidays to all!

No One Celebrates the End of the Year Like MLM!

Our End of Year Party was like no other.The food was great, almost as great as the company (but, who/what can beat our MLM family?). Rich was a dancing machine, Coach Joe led the party, Lynn led the conga line, and everyone participated in the fun!!  We all had a blast and then some!  If you were there, you know just how incredible it was to reunite with all of your MLM friends, but if not, check out the pictures after the jump.  If you'd like to share some of your own pictures, send them to us with "EOY Party" as the subject line! 

Holiday Shopping...

...that feels soooo right! If you hate long lines, busy stores, and sold out items, then perhaps you should venture into the world of online holiday shopping.  With the season of giving approaching and tons of loved ones to buy for, we encourage you to utilize the links below to do your shopping.  By shopping through either link, you will be donating to Miracle League of MA, without having to add a single penny to your shopping order!  Just by shopping through our links, the sites will donate a small portion to the children of MLM, in our quest for a field. 

It is completely safe! It will cost you nothing.  You will feel good. Our kids will be one step closer to our field of dreams! 

Check out these links on our website as well!!

A donation to the Miracle League of Massachusetts helps us build a safe, all-accessible field and give our very special players the opportunity to play baseball for years to come. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization so your contributions are tax-deductible. To make a donation with your credit card, click on the PayPal link. (You do not need a PayPal account to donate online, just a credit card.)

If you'd rather just donate, checks can be mailed to:
Miracle League of Massachusetts
PO Box 524
Acton, MA 01720

or

Online donations are guaranteed secure!

Richard Bailey and Shifting Perspectives

Richard Bailey is a famous British photographer whose work ranges from advertising to editorial. In his career, spanning more than a decade and a half, some of his most important work began just a few years ago. In 2005, Bailey, along with other photographers, began a campaign: Shifting Perspectives. The purpose of the campaign? To shift the perspective of Down syndrome, showing both children and adults in their own unique lights. The campaign was designed to reflect the individual over the syndrome. Bailey's work, along with others', in Shifting Perspectives, proves we are all definitely more alike than different.

Of course we had to find out more, behold our interview with the genuine and brilliant Bailey:

End of Year Party

It's that time of year! The Fall season just wrapped up, the first snowfall has come (shockingly early this year), Turkey Day is just around the corner, with Christmas nipping at its heels. Ladies and gentlemen, it is the end of the year.

We invite you to celebrate 2011 which was filled with two fabulous seasons, many great memories, and tons of new friendships! On November 20th, all players, buddies, friends, families, you name it are invited to the Chelmsford Elks for an afternoon of fun with the greatest group of people on Earth!

RSVP now for the party, which will be held November 20th from 1:30 - 4:30. Last year's party had Rich doing the Chicken Dance and Coach Joe leading an enthusiastic conga line. This year's party promises to be even better, complete with a visit from that jolly old man in the red suit (you know, Saint Nick)! We will provide drinks and pizza, but encourage you to bring a dessert or appetizer, if you'd like (not required). If you have any questions, please contact Lynn Vesey.

Boo!

Halloween is quickly approaching! 'Tis the spookiest time of the year! For those of you who dress up, I'm sure costumes have already been decided or bought. But, if you're still in the search for the perfect costume, a few great ideas are below!

Jack In the Box
Royalty (King or Queen in throne)
Princess in her chariot or Gladiator in his
Flinstones (in that yabadabadoo vehicle)
Drummer in a rock band
Jockey (on a horse)
Aladdin or Genie (on a magic carpet)
News Anchor (at desk)
Magician (with hat and bunny)
Jellyfish (with tentacles of course)

More at Robin's FYI
and
Disney's Family Fun

Remember stay in groups, be safe, get lots of candy (but don't eat it all in one night), and have tons of fun!

Have a scary and merry Halloween!

Let's Keep in Touch!

The season has just wrapped up, but that doesn't mean we have to stop seeing each other! Over the entire off season, you can check back here to see what's going on with your friends in the Miracle League, as we introduce our "Get to know..." and "Player Bio" sections. Keep in touch on our Facebook page, stay updated on our Twitter, continue to check the website for events, as well as next season's sign-ups, and be sure to check back here for details on anything and everything Miracle League.

"See You Later" not "Goodbye"

We've had so many great times this season! And now, as the season comes to a close, we can reflect on all of those great memories. Most recently we had Trophy Day when all of our favorite players received trophies for their hard work all season long, and pictures (thanks Coach Steve!) to remember it by. A week prior we also had to bid an early but fond "see you later" to Dan, who had all eyes on him as he received his trophy. We all definitely remember when Lily ran the bases so fast and kept running, right out of the field! Who could forget the Leslie Dance, Justin's national anthem, Skylar's "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", or Josh's beatboxing? Certainly no one missed Double Trouble charging the mound or the Fantastic Four loading the bases for a grand slam! We've had the volunteers show pride in their work by Celebrating Volunteerism and pledging on the Patriots' site. And we even had some new volunteers this year, with some of the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders (and a few adults) from St. John the Evangelist School in Beverly, Mass. coming in on one fine Saturday. (Thank you! We'd love to see you all again!) We had a great time together at Casino Night and raised a ton of money towards the turf field! (Check out a live tally on our website.) Long story short, we've had the most amazing season and can't wait for the Spring. But until then, we encourage you to share your favorite memories below. We didn't even come close to mentioning everything we loved about the season, so please help us out!

Celebrate Volunteerism Myra Kraft Style!

Want to your picture on the Patriots' site? This season, in honor and memory of the late Myra Kraft, the Patriots are celebrating volunteerism, even more than before! This Saturday at the Miracle League games, we are going to get together and take a picture to submit to the Patriots' site! The Pats want to recognize each and every one of you for your hard work with the Miracle League (and any other organization you volunteer through) this Fall, and we think that's a great idea!

In order to do so, we need to log our volunteer hours! We can back date these to beginning of the season and look forward to the future. For example, if you volunteer at all three games, every week, then you'd probably have about 30 hours for the season. (9-2 every game day = 5 hours per day x 6 days = 30 hours). Pleding hours run in various increments, the closest to this being 25 and 50. So, you would pledge based on how many games you volunteer for and how many places you volunteer at.

Sign up, pledge the hours, and print your pledge form. Bring it with you this Saturday where we will take a group picture (or a few if needed). We want you to be as proud of your volunteer hours as we are!

Please don't forget your volunteer forms, your pride, and a huge smile this Saturday!

Thanks to each and every one of you for your dedication this season, as well as past and future seasons!

Important Announcement

Unfortunately, due to the rain, today's games have been cancelled. Oktoberfest and the B's raffle are still on!

Let's hope for better weather next week!

Update on raffle prices: $10 now buys you 10 tickets!

Bruins Tix up for grabs tomorrow!

For those of you attending Oktoberfest in West Acton (we'll be there 10-4), the "Running with Henry" event, or the Miracle League games this Saturday, you are in luck! And for those of you who aren't, you should seriously reconsider!! We are raffling off Bruins Tickets (at the games and Oktoberfest!) for Monday, December 19th at 7 pm! Who are they playing? The loathed Canadiens!  Be there to see the B's put an end to their flopping!

We have 2 tickets; Loge seats, section 8, row 24.  Face value is $79 per ticket.  And, all of the proceeds will be going to Miracle League of MA, in our quest to build a turf field!

Raffle Prices:
1 ticket      =    $2
3 tickets    =    $5
8 tickets    =    $10

We hope to see all of you out there tomorrow!!

Never fear, the deets on October 1st are here!!

You've already marked your calendar for October 1st, to participate in a "Running with Henry" event at the West Acton Oktoberfest.  The "Running with Henry" program is designed to raise awareness of the Miracle League, give our athletes the chance to participate in mainstream events, and to raise money for our program!  Well now, we've got the details on the event: 

Who?  All of you, you're all invited!  Unfortuantely the event runs at the same time as our Miracle League games, but we've got enough athletes and buddies that we can do both!!  To sign up go

What? A 5K at the West Acton Oktoberfest, beginning at 10 AM. 

Where? The race begins at Gates School in Acton.

When?  The race begins at 10, but registration begins at 8.  We will be meeting at the backstop for the softball field at 9:30.

Why?  Well, besides getting fit and the general adrenaline rush that accompanies any race, you're also giving the children of Miracle League the chance to compete in a mainstream sporting event.  You're spreading the word of Miracle League and bringing the community and our organization closer together!  

What we need is athletes, buddies, and jogging strollers.  If you would like to run with or without an athlete, or as an athlete, please don't forget to list "Miracle League of MA" as your charity to see $5 of the $25 registration fee go directly to our organization!  If you'd like to run with an athlete, as an athlete, or lend a jogging stroller, please don't forget to contact Lauren prior to the race day!

So pencil it in, October 1st at 10 AM, "Running with Henry" event in Acton!  And, don't forget to list "Miracle League of MA" as your charity to ensure that $5 of your registration fee is donated to the organization.  As most of you know, we are trying to build a turf field for our special players, and every penny helps!!

Not interested in running, but still want to help out? Other ways to donate can be found here. Volunteer and new player forms can be found here.

Thank you all for your help and generosity!  We appreciate all of you!

1st Annual Casino Night was a Success!!!

Thank you to all of you who made it to our First Annual Casino Night! It was a raging success. We nearly sold out! And, we made over $20,000!! All thanks to the great supporters of Miracle League of MA, we are well on our way to our goal of building the Miracle League field! For those of you who made it, you know it was "all for the kids" (haha thanks Rich!) but we'd also like to thank everyone behind the scenes who helped make it happen. Thanks to all the volunteers, before, during, and after the event, the planners, the caterers, and those who generously donated prizes, time, money, and drinks!

For those of you that missed it, you can check out pictures here. But, all of you should plan on attending next year's Second Annual Casino Night!

Again, thank you to all attendees and volunteers!

Mark Your Calendars!

On October 1st, we are planning another "Running with Henry" event at the West Acton Oktoberfest...details soon to follow!

UPDATE: Details are in, check them out here.

Casino Night News: Open Bar and New Prizes!!

It's hard to believe, I know...but the Casino Night planners have done it.  They just made Casino Night even better!!! As you know, this Saturday, the 17th, you are invited to the Concord Elks Lodge (in, well, where else? Concord, MA) at 7 pm for a night of craps, roulette, black jack and more!!  You can still purchase the discounted tickets for $50 here, or $60 at the door. And, of course those tickets come with chips (there will also be a chip bank for those of you vying for the big prizes) but now those tickets come with more....an open bar! Yes, it's okay to smile!!

Now, get really excited because we can officially release the prize list...

• Boston Bruins autographed jersey (the entire Stanley Cup Championship team)
• Patriots tickets in the Putnam Clubhouse
• Bat autographed by Kevin Youkilis
• Weekend night stays at luxury Boston hotels accompanied by restaurant gift certificates
• Autographed Kevin Garnett jersey
• Multiple sets of Bruins tickets
• Parties at Jillian's and Lucky Strike in Boston
• Monthly case of Sam Adams beer for a whole year
• Deep sea fishing trip
• And so much more!!!

We will have raffles with equally awesome prizes so there is literally something for everyone to get excited about.  Obviously if you're a sports lover you are in seventh heaven with this list! And it only gets better.  You can even meet Rich Shertenlieb of the "Toucher and Rich" show on 98.5, the Sports Hub.

With all the fun and excitement of the night, we urge you to keep in mind that not only can you win these fantastic prizes and have a night filled with fun, but you are also doing it for the children of Miracle League of MA.  In all of the fun you'll be having, you are making these kids' dreams come true.  They already have a great time on Saturday mornings playing baseball with their buddies, but a turf field will improve that enjoyment ten-fold, and all of you that attend Casino Night are helping to make that happen.  So, thank you!

A Few of Our Favorite Things...

Our readership consists of families; moms, dads, kids, the whole deal.  And, while we're some of the best reading on the internet, we've got a few sites in mind, that we think, you, our readers, would love!

Moms, if you like shopping for your little ones, but hate picking through the sizes, check out these flash sale, super discounted websites: Zulily and Totsy. There are even a few sales for you each day!!

Electronics lovers, rejoice!  We have found the site of your dreams...buy.com.  They carry everything, functioning like Amazon, but have the best deals on electronics.  The best part?  Free shipping on 99% of their items!!

Shopping is not for everyone, but these two websites are.  More flash deals, but this time they cover everything from getaways to spa visits, to the cupcake factory down the street.  You'll find yourself doing things you never even knew you wanted to do from rock climbing and kickboxing to touring museums and trekking through Legoland!  There is literally something for everyone on Groupon and LivingSocial.

Is fine dining your thing?  Do you go out to eat often, or ever?  We've got just the site for you.  (NOTE: This month we recommend Not Your Average Joe's in Acton as we were nominated as September's NYA Cause.  Every Tuesday throughout the month, 15% of your order will be donated to Miracle League of MA with this certificate.) Back to the year-round diners, check out this at least half-off coupon site for local restaurants in your area.

Enough with the discounts...this you can do for free.  You and your family can have daily treasure hunts using this website.  These adventures are more about the hunt than the treasures.  You can find out more about geocaching on the website, but basically there are hidden "treasures" all over the world, from the local grocery store's parking lot to the trails of the White Mountains.  Bring a pen to sign the logs, and make sure you have a small item to swap with one of the treasures you find!

Some other free fun to pass the time: Sporcle, a trivia site, and StumbleUpon, a unique site that will explain itself!! 

That should be enough to keep the whole family happily busy!  Enjoy these sites, they are some of our favorites!!

The NYA Cause Certificate is here!!

At last, the NYA Cause certificate that enables you to donate 15% of your purchase as NYA Joe's in Acton is here. Remember, you can use the certificate every Tuesday throughout the month of September.

Parents and Players...

Have we mentioned that you can follow us on Twitter? We'd love to hear from you!

We've been selected by NYA Cause!

Not Your Average Joe's has selected us as the next Not Your Average Cause.  Every Tuesday throughout the month of September, visitors to Not Your Average Joe's in Acton can bring in a certificate and have 15% of their purchase donated to Miracle League of MA.

A link to the certificate necessary to make this donation happen will soon be posted, as well as more information on NYAC!

Update on Casino Night

Getting tickets to Casino Night just got easier!!!  For those of you who want to engage in a night of fun for a great cause, please go here to register!  Buying tickets in advance will save you $10, or you can buy them the night of for $60.  Either way you're bound to have a blast and help the players of Miracle League in their goal of building a more suitable field!!  Find out more about Casino Night here and more about our players and our goal of building a special field here!

Hope to see you there!!

First Annual Casino Night!!!!

Miracle League of Massachusetts' first annual Casino Night is sneaking up on us.  On September 17 at 7 PM, join us at the Concord Elks at 221 Baker Avenue in Concord, MA.  Tickets are available for $60 at the door and $50 if you order in advance by visiting the registration site.  Tickets include chips, and a chip bank will be available to those of you ready to win big!  Don't miss this exhilarating night of black jack, roulette, craps, and so much more!

All proceeds will benefit the Miracle League of Massachusetts, and with our current goal of building our own field, you couldn't be helping at a better time!

Hope to see you there!! 

Help out by doing what you already do!

A donation to the Miracle League of Massachusetts gives our very special players the opportunity to play baseball for years to come. We have linked up with merchants to provide additional ways for you to support the Miracle League of Massachusetts. Thank you very much!

When you begin online shopping, click the link below to Amazon.com or GoodSearch.com which is a collection of more than 1,000 stores and these sites will donate a portion of your purchase to the Miracle League of Massachusetts. Every time you use the search engine at GoodSearch.com (powered by Yahoo), they will donate money to the Miracle League of Massachusetts. Click the link below to get started. 

They're here!!!

The sign-up form for buddies, also known as the most fantastic volunteers we know, is officially available!!  Please go here to fill out the form.  You can email it to Lauren or send it to: Miracle League of Massachusetts, P.O. Box 524, Acton, MA 01720.

Time to start thinking about your Fall plans...

Pretty soon we will have registration forms for volunteers, please start thinking about your availability now, and check back often to seen when sign-up forms are posted. Games will run every Saturday, beginning September 10th, for six weeks, with October 22nd as a rain date.  Stay tuned for more details!

Look at these smiling faces...

Check out pictures from Miracle League games and events here!  You can check out more of these moments this Fall by attending some games.  Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come!

Sign up now for the Fall...

Registration for players for the fall season is officially underway. Visit our website (www.miracleleagueofma.com) to download a registration form. The season will run for 6 Saturdays beginning on September 10th. The deadline for registering is August 5th so don't delay!

Welcome to the MLM blog...

We wish to welcome you to our blog and invite you to follow us on Twitter and Facebook or find out more about us here.  We're runing out of Acton, MA, but we serve families all across the state, with volunteers from all over.