Volunteers needed to work selling 50/50 Tickets at Bandits Game – Saturday, April 20th, 2013 – limited volunteer slots available, first come first serve…please email us here to join us.

Opening Day – Sunday, May 19th, 2013

Law Enforcement Day – Sunday, June 9th, 2013

Check us out at the 4th of July Parade – Thursday, July 4th, 2013

Buffalo Bison Day – Saturday, July 20th, 2013 - 10:00am

Miracle League Carnival  – Saturday, August 10th, 2013

Fireman’s Day – Sunday, August 18th, 2013

 

2013 Season - Sunday Games

12:30pm - players must be at the field and ready to play

1:00pm - FIRST GAME

2:30pm - players must be at the field and ready to play

3:00pm - SECOND GAME

 

Miracle League has begun preparations for the 2013 Season….please check back for regular updates!

 

No Games on this Sunday, August 5th

 

Thank you Buffalo Bisons for a great day

4th of July parade

Who: Players, coaches, buddies wearing their uniforms/buddy shirts

When: July 4th at 8:30am

Where: Dunkin Donughnuts

We also will have a float for those that want to ride.

Remember to bring a water bottle

Sign up sheets will be at all the games.

 

Superstar Buddies Games

Superstar Buddy Games

Law Enforcement : Sunday July 22nd - 2 pm.

Bison: August 4th - 2 pm

Sabre’s Alumni : Wednesday September 12th - 7 pm - "under the lights"

 

The MLWNY is implementing a  Extreme Heat Policy for the safety and comfort of our players and buddies.

" Anytime temps reach 85 degrees or more, games will be cancelled and rescheduled accordingly."

General Meeting for the MLWNY: June 12, 2012

Come out be part of the action and join us for the planning of summer events.

Meetings are at Theodore's Restaurant on Grand Island Blvd. at 6 pm.

 

On Wednesday, November 2, Kim and Joe from Miracle League were special guests at a Life Skills class and Grand Island Middle School. The students went apple picking, made apple crisp, and sold the apple crisp to raise funds for Miracle League. The students had a great time and learned a lot about baking and marketing their product. We were so excited to hear that the students were doing this project and naming Miracle League as the recepient of the funds. They did a great job and it was the best apple crisp I have ever had. The students also made Johnny Appleseed magnets.

 

Special baseball complex provides a safe place to play for young athletes w

From The Buffalo News: Updated: August 31, 2011, 12:20 PM

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Catching a fly ball at second base is no small feat for any Little Leaguer. So when Kale Shiesley, who has spinal muscular atrophy, did just that Tuesday, his parents, Kevin and Bonnie, erupted in applause. Kale just looked at them and beamed.

"I'm so proud and excited," said Bonnie. "He's thrilled. He was chewing his gum like a baseball player does. He was getting into the stance."

Kale's exploits were just one small highlight of the opening of Miracle League at Veterans Park on Grand Island, as the Miracle League of Western New York cut the ribbon on a specially constructed baseball complex designed for young athletes with disabilities.

Past and present members of the Buffalo Sabres attended the opening day celebration, joining 36 Miracle League athletes for a one-inning baseball game on the new field.

"I feel so fortunate. I am really, really lucky to be in a position to do something like this," said Mike Robitaille, a former Sabres defenseman and current studio analyst who pitched in on the field. "It's stuff like this off the ice that you hope people will remember you for. Not playing hockey, but the important stuff."

Jacob Heim was the first batter up for Rene Robert's team. He made short work of it with Sabres right winger Patrick Kaleta by his side, stealing second and third base and becoming the team's first runner to be batted in.

"It was inspirational," said his father, Josh Heim. "Jacob has worked so incredibly hard and this just shows what he can do."

Joann Saxer was overcome with emotion watching her grandson, Matthew Chorey, on the field, assisted by former Sabres defenseman Grant Ledyard. Matthew, 15, is usually in the stands watching his 17-year-old brother, Andrew, play sports. But Tuesday it was the other way around.

"This really is a miracle. Everything about it," Saxer said.

The $500,000 baseball complex boasts a 40-by-100-foot pavilion as well as a wheelchair-accessible concessions stand and restrooms.

The specially designed baseball diamond has a synthetic, cushioned surface with inlaid instead of raised bases. Uneven dirt, turf and raised bases can be dangerous obstacles for players who are visually or physically challenged. Called EverTop, the smooth, seamless surface makes the infield and outfield easier to navigate for athletes using walkers and wheelchairs.

Fundraising for the field began last summer, sped along by funds from key donors such as the Sabres, its alumni association, the Town of Grand Island, the Lions Club and hundreds of contractors and volunteers who donated labor and materials.

Like every Miracle League game, Tuesday's ended in a tie. Every parent, athlete and supporter left a winner.

"A lot of times we do things or donate money and you know you're giving to a great cause. But when you get to come here and really see the impact it has on people, it's really a special moment," said Michael Peca, a former Sabres forward.

Jeff Dinsmore was awed to see his son Mike playing baseball, assisted by one of his own sports heroes, former Sabres defenseman Larry Carriere. But Mike himself was even more delighted.

"It's awesome," he said. "That's all I can say is one word. Awesome."

BUFFALO, N.Y. (August 30, 2011) – The Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association today announced that both organizations will be on hand to help celebrate the completion of the Miracle League of Western New York Field Presented by the Buffalo Sabres, a baseball field and complex designed for children with disabilities.

After each organization donated $75,000 for the construction of the complex, Sabres President Ted Black, Head Coach Lindy Ruff and members of past and present Sabres teams will be in attendance on Aug. 30, 2011 at 2 p.m.  The celebration at the complex, which is located in Grand Island’s Veteran’s Park, will include a one-inning baseball game with the Sabres representatives playing alongside 36 participants of the Miracle League, ranging in age from 5 years old to 42 years old.

The complex will serve as the playing field for The Miracle League of Grand Island & WNY, the local chapter of the nationally organized Miracle League, which provides the opportunity for disabled athletes from around the country to play organized baseball. Besides a specially designed playing surface, the complex features a concession stand and bathrooms that are wheelchair accessible.

Fundraising for the field began in July 2010 and quickly attracted the attention of the Sabres, the Sabres Alumni, the Town of Grand Island and several other corporate sponsors, all of whom donated time, money and resources to build the complex. Members of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Foundation were on hand in April 2011 for the groundbreaking and construction was completed four months later, well ahead of the one to two years it usually takes for a project of this kind.

“We are extremely thankful for the support from the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni, not only for their donation but also for their involvement in our organization,” said Teresa Hooper, the president of the Miracle League of Grand Island and Western New York. “It means a lot to our players and volunteers to have their heroes cheer them on and show their support.”

“Our volunteers were excited to find Larry Playfair working in the mud and stone right along with us on a daily basis, as well as Rene Robert helping with construction and staining of the picnic tables,” Hooper added. 

Both the Sabres, through its Buffalo Sabres Foundation, and the Sabres Alumni Association are committed to providing support to non-profit organizations in the Western New York area that are dedicated to making the region a better place to live and work. 

“We’re always looking to help worthwhile organizations that share the same beliefs about making our community a better place for everyone,” said Playfair, President of the Sabres Alumni Association. “The Miracle League of Grand Island & WNY will be making sports available to everyone, regardless of their ability, and we think that’s very important. We’re thrilled to be a part of this project.”

The official opening of the Miracle League Field of Western New York Field Presented by the Buffalo Sabres will be on Sept. 11, when the Miracle League of WNY will host an open house at the complex from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.. The public is encouraged to attend and tour the facilities, as well as find out how to get involved with the league.

The MLWNY field is nearly finished with the necessary construction needed to be fully operational for Opening Day and the first exposition game that will be held on August 30th.

Chris Hartwick, the construction manager for the field, reported his progress to us as of August 14th.

"The block layer has almost all of the interior walls on the bathroom/concession building done. It should be completed by no later than Tuesday, August 16th. Our exterior doors for the same building are currently at Rockwood Bros. Collision shop being painted, looking to have them installed by the beginning of next week. Once the building is enclosed we will be able to start installing bathroom fixtures (toilets,sinks etc..), electric and also start painting the walls.
  
Currently we have the open air pavilion complete with the metal roof. As it stands as of August 14th, the roofers will be back either Monday or Tuesday to start the bathroom/concession building which will put its completion time at the end of the week. At that point that will only leave the Rotary pavilion in the rear to be completed.
 
 As of this Monday, August 15th, Surface America will start the surface for the field where all the players will be playing on shortly. Talking to one of the owners, it seems that it will take them about 5-7 days to complete the surface. After the surface is complete, the actual fencing that goes around the field will be complete."

The field continues to be worked on daily and is on schedule for completion for the exposition game.

The 5K race/walk called "Strides for Stewart" was originally dedicated to Amy Stewart in 2009. She was one of the young women that had a life threatening injury caused by a hit and run driver. Since Amy is a teacher of students with special needs, it seemed only right to want to give the race proceeds this year to The Miracle League of WNY.

The opening day of the field and the Strides for Stewart race is on Sunday September 11th, 2011 at 10am. The proceeds will help towards the costs of keeping the facility successful and beautiful for anyone that visits.

To register for the race online, please contact 716.773.9143, or send an email to stridesforstewart@yahoo.com.

To make an individual or organizational donation with benefits for donors, please use the following form.

http://www.isledegrande.com/town/stewart-11.pdf

Status Updates

Recently The Miracle League WNY established the Grand Opening day of our field will be held on September 11th, 2011, at Veteran's Park in Grand Island (Bedell Road) at 2:00 P.M. We will begin our celebration with the Strides for Stewart 5K Road Race which will directly benefit The Miracle League and its efforts. The race will begin promptly at 10:00 A.M.

Currently, our field is in the middle of construction and is still an ongoing process. The black top has been completed and is now in its 30 day curing period. Additionally Service of America, a local construction company from Williamsville NY, will apply the rubber surface in early August.