ESP and Miracle League Aim To Build Complex

ATHENS-----The University of Georgia's Foley Field served as the backdrop to announce a partnership between Watkinsville-based Extra Special People (ESP) and the Miracle League recently as they aim to build a recreation complex in Northeast Georgia.

At an event billed as "Brunch on the Bases," Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin, along with long-time sportscaster Chuck Dowdle and former Georgia record-setting quarterback Aaron Murray, were on hand to celebrate the partnership of The ESP Miracle League.

"We are excited to be a part of this project, and we thought a baseball setting would be the right background to announce the group's goal of raising money to get a baseball field built for these kids and their families to enjoy," said Stricklin. "We want to get everybody on board and make this a reality."

The project is expected to cost at least $1 million. ESP has already secured $250,000, which includes a generous grant from the Kirby Smart Family Foundation. If fully funded, The ESP Miracle League complex will include a custom-designed, rubberized turf field, a splash pad and an accessible playground promoting inclusive play. To make a donation and see a video about an ESP Miracle League complex, click on the following link: http://gado.gs/71

ESP is a nonprofit serving families and children with special needs in the eight-county area surrounding Watkinsville, Ga., since 1987. The Miracle League removes the barriers that keep children with mental and physical disabilities off the baseball field and lets them experience the joy of America's favorite pastime. Miracle League teams play on a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assistive devices while helping to prevent injuries.

"Building a Miracle League field in our community and partnering with a nationwide organization like Miracle League helps fulfill our belief that every kid deserves to play sports and thrive in an accessible space that allows for them to gain confidence, improve their physical health and abilities, and foster meaningful relationships with their peers," said Laura Whitaker, Executive Director of ESP. "ESP is always working to make the lives of children with special needs vibrant and fun, offering summer camps and after-school activities to hundreds of families across Northeast Georgia year-round."

"Miracle League's mission aligns seamlessly with ESP's mission," said Miracle League Co-founder Diane Alford. "A successful Miracle League is a community effort, and while ESP is leading the charge, we hope the Athens and Watkinsville communities will pitch in as donors, volunteers, coaches and supporters. We cannot change or cure the medical issues life has dealt children with disabilities. What we can do is provide them with an opportunity to experience the joy and benefits that come from playing our national pastime-baseball."

To learn more about Extra Special People, visit www.extraspecialpeople.com. To learn more about Miracle League, visit www.themiracleleague.net.

University of Georgia Athletics

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