The Ripken Foundation and the Miracle League of Northern Connecticut are working together to build an adaptive Youth Development Park at Northeast School in Vernon, Connecticut. The Miracle League Youth Development Park will be artificial turf, which will be low-maintenance, durable, safe, and will help to prevent injuries. The field will also include dugouts that are wheelchair accessible and a flat, barrier-free surface that is accessible for visually impaired players and players in wheelchairs. This multi-purpose park will not only accommodate baseball and softball programs, but also soccer and lacrosse.
Miracle League coach Steve Leibowitz expressed his excitement for the project stating, "We are thrilled to partner with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation on this very important project. Having the respected Ripken name as well as their expertise when it comes to serving youth and building these amazing parks is game-changing for the Miracle League."
These parks provide a safe place to run programming for youth serving organizations, creates a healthy outlet for at-risk youth to escape negative influences, transforms neighborhoods, keeps kids healthy through activities after school, and brings pride back to the community.
Ripken Foundation President and CEO Steve Salem spoke more about this amazing partnership. "The work of the Miracle League of Northern Connecticut is inspiring and what Steve, Laurel, and the rest of the community has done is remarkable," said Salem. He continued, "We are proud to partner with them to help bring this park to completion for the kids of Vernon and the surrounding area. We have seen firsthand the impact that our Youth Development Parks have on communities and over the years we have created deep ties to my home state of Connecticut that we are happy to see grow even stronger."
To date, the Ripken Foundation has built 112 Youth Development Parks, including 22 adaptive fields, in 27 states plus Washington, D.C., impacting over 524,000 youth. To learn more about our Youth Development Parks, click here.