The following was written by Rogers Ozone Director Cass Trumbo.
One of the attractive aspects of Ozone is the community service component. While some students attend club for the silly games or to see their camp counselors, parents often endorse our program because we generate projects and hours of service that fulfill student’s requirements elsewhere.
However, as a participant as well as a director in Rogers, I believe the best part of Ozone’s community service is the character building.
On fall Saturday mornings, Miracle League hosts games in a park in southern Springdale. The fields have been built in miniature on a foundation of rubber to create spaces that look more like playgrounds than ballparks. It’s built just so because the players are all handicapped. Either physically or mentally challenged, the players come to the park to play ball on a equal field.
Over three games that morning, our students were paired with a buddy and together they hit balls, ran bases and fielded flies. But baseball is a slow game and those pieces of action were only a small portion of each buddy’s game. The real work – the unadvertised and at times overlooked work – was relationship building.
Most of the students in the Ozone program have been campers at Camp War Eagle. Often that’s what leads them to Ozone. As long-time campers, or even long-time club attendees, our students have been exposed to the kind of top-notch counseling and mentoring that makes CWE great. Our counselors strive to make each camper feel special. With Miracle League, our students found a chance to practice this for themselves.
Through the course of the morning, students played baseball on their knees or pushed wheelchairs, chased rogue players or simply sat against the fence with their buddy. They did their best to make those players feel special. At the end of the morning, our Miracle League liaison was full of praise for our students, who did what adult volunteers seldom do: they made their service about the kids.
Check out some pictures from our time with the Miracle League!
The following was written by Rogers Ozone Director Cass Trumbo.
However, as a participant as well as a director in Rogers, I believe the best part of Ozone’s community service is the character building.
On fall Saturday mornings, Miracle League hosts games in a park in southern Springdale. The fields have been built in miniature on a foundation of rubber to create spaces that look more like playgrounds than ballparks. It’s built just so because the players are all handicapped. Either physically or mentally challenged, the players come to the park to play ball on a equal field.
Over three games that morning, our students were paired with a buddy and together they hit balls, ran bases and fielded flies. But baseball is a slow game and those pieces of action were only a small portion of each buddy’s game. The real work – the unadvertised and at times overlooked work – was relationship building.
Most of the students in the Ozone program have been campers at Camp War Eagle. Often that’s what leads them to Ozone. As long-time campers, or even long-time club attendees, our students have been exposed to the kind of top-notch counseling and mentoring that makes CWE great. Our counselors strive to make each camper feel special. With Miracle League, our students found a chance to practice this for themselves.
Through the course of the morning, students played baseball on their knees or pushed wheelchairs, chased rogue players or simply sat against the fence with their buddy. They did their best to make those players feel special. At the end of the morning, our Miracle League liaison was full of praise for our students, who did what adult volunteers seldom do: they made their service about the kids.
Check out some pictures from our time with the Miracle League!
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