Field of Dreams
Earlier this week, The Miracle League Northshore broke ground on its new playing field and facility located at Coquille Parks and Recreation in Covington, Louisiana!
The Miracle League works with mentally and physically disabled children so they can participate in everyday sports. The Northshore division was founded in 2014 to bring The Miracle League to serve the children of St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes. Coquille Parks and Recreation donated the land, and after a years-long fundraising campaign, the group is finally ready to start construction of the field.
[wpvideo 55HcnFMe]Currently, the children play on a natural-grass field, but the dirt and grass design of a baseball or soccer field found in a typical youth sports program can be challenging and unsafe to maneuver from a wheelchair or with crutches used by many Miracle League participants.
The new Miracle Field will be a specially constructed surface that uses a cushioned, synthetic turf to accommodate wheelchairs and other walking-assistance devices that, along with appropriate support facilities, is designed specifically for use by children with disabilities.
Gina Lorio, Miracle League’s Executive Director, and Griffin Lennox, Stirling Properties’ Investment Sales Analyst
Stirling Properties selected The Miracle League as the beneficiary of our annual Stirling Olympics fundraiser last year. We were able to raise $28,000 to help fund the new playing field and provide local children with access to a safe playing environment! Stirling Properties’ Investment Sales Analyst, Griffin Lennox, is also an active volunteer with The Miracle League and serves as a “buddy” for participating children to help encourage learning and fun in sports.
The mission of Miracle League of Greater New Orleans and The Miracle League North Shore is to promote the health and well-being of children with disabilities, provide opportunities for non-disabled children to learn about and interact with children with disabilities, and develop community awareness and support for the child athlete with disabilities through organized sports leagues. The vision of the program is to provide any disabled child, regardless of their level of disability, the opportunity to play league games and enjoy the emotional and physical benefits of being part of a team.
#StirlingProud
Stirling Properties Takes the Gold During 2016 Stirling Olympics
Stirling Properties has its own version of the premier sporting event! Employees and agents recently celebrated the 4th Annual Stirling Olympics, an event hosted by the Stirling Stewardship Committee to raise money for charitable causes. The event was a HUGE SUCCESS, raising $57,000 for local nonprofit organizations!
Funds raised benefited The ALD Foundation, which strives to raise awareness and supports the research of Adrenoleukodystroply, a genetically determined neurological disorder that affects young boys between the ages of four and ten, as well as The Miracle League of Greater New Orleans, which works with mentally and physically handicapped children so they can participate in everyday sports. Representatives from each organization were on hand to accept a check for $28,000 each.
With funds from Stirling Olympics, The Miracle League is now one step closer to constructing a new field for its Northshore division, where children will have access to a safe playing environment!
Here are a couple of comments from the recipients:
“Special thank you to Stirling Properties for selecting us as a beneficiary of their Olympics this year. Their contribution to the construction of the new field pushed us over the halfway mark to being fully funded!” -Representative, Miracle League
“Stirling welcomed the Adrenoleukodystrophy Foundation and honored us with extreme generosity. The best I can offer to each employee who outdid themselves is thank you. Going forward, the commitment I have already made is to give in a manner that elicits a similar response. Leading with love and care is the best possible path any of us may traverse. Thank you Stirling.” -David Cry, Founder of The ALD Foundation
Throughout the day, teams battled one another in 10 quirky competitions – Basketball with a Football, Musical Chairs, Separation Anxiety with M&Ms, Junk in the Trunk with Kleenx boxes and ping pong balls, Tick-Tac-Toe, Flashdance Pedometer Race, Hula Hoop Chain, Plinko, Heads Up and Team Relay. Scores were tallied and individual medals were given for each event.
Teams were also awarded medals for top overall, top fundraising, most team spirit, most creative, and best sportsmanship. Events were judged by Chris Roig (Netchex), Caitlin Scanlan (VOA of Greater NO), Christi Zito, Steve Zito (Zito Russell Architects), and Steve Serio (Fishman Haygood law firm).
The Gold Medal overall went to The Walking Dead! Congratulations to Carrie Creel (Team Captain), Beezie Landry, Cyndie Quave, Dominick Constanza, Jill Meeks, Paul Blackwell, Paul Mastio, Rachel Jerkins, Samantha Marshall and Elaine Fullerton.
The Silver Medal was awarded to Wonka’s Wild Things – Chris Abadie (Team Captain), Gaines Seaman, Heather McGowin, Hilary Creamer, Justin Toomey, Carly Plotkin, Rachel Fonseca, Shelley Collins, Jeff Barnes and Saban Sellers.
The Reasonably Eccentric Degenerates took home the Bronze Medal – Marty Mayer (Team Captain), Donna Allsup, Griffin Lennox, Jaime Burchfield, Jeanne Taravella, Johnny Tolson, Mark Salvetti, Peggy Foots, Sabrina Narcisse-Lewis and Robin Day.
At the end of the day, in an effort to raise even more money, the owners participated in a surprising and crazy lip-syncing contest, resulting in an additional $8,500 for the Stewardship Committee. This additional money will be used by the Stewardship Committee to donate to additional nonprofits throughout the year.
A heartfelt thanks to our supporting sponsors, including Richard Price Contracting Company, Brasfield & Gorrie, Fishman Haygood Phelps Walmsley Willis and Swanson, First NBC, Vinson Guard Service, Walker & Dunlop, Adam Ifshin, Arkel Constructors, Associated Building Services, Bellingrath Wealth Management, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, BH Management Services, CBRE, Duplantis Design Group, Fidelity Bank, Gladstone Jones, IBERIABANK, Jake Netterville, Jones Walker, Kean Miller, Kent Design, Longnecker & Associates, Precision Waste Solutions, Regal Construction, Rotolo Consultants, Rozas Ward Architects, Whitney Bank, Zito Russell Architects. Thank you to our in-kind sponsors Whole Foods Market and Panera Bread.
And a big shout-out to the Stirling Stewardship Committee for all their hard work organizing the event and making it happen! You all deserve a round of applause!!
#StirlingProud
