'100 Women' Group Sends Funds To Miracle Field Project In Vernon

VERNON, CT — A regional charitable organization has made a $3,900 donation to the Miracle League of Northern Connecticut and a project to put an adaptable athletic field at Northeast School in Vernon.

The north central Connecticut chapter of 100 Women Who Care announced the donation this week.

The field will be utilized by elementary school children, recreational programs, and athletes with disabilities who reside throughout Northern Connecticut.

"We are so grateful to 100 Women Who Care for their contribution, helping to make this dream a reality," said Laurel Leibowitz, the vice president of MiracleLeague of Northern Connecticut. "We extend sincere thanks for their consideration and support."

The 100 Women Who Care organization is part of a national effort "to have a positive effect in communities by assisting not-for-profit charities." The members meet four times a year to choose a charity and then collectively give directly to that charity.

The Miracle Field in Vernon would be the third in Connecticut. There are about 300 Miracle Fields across the U.S. and two others in Connecticut — in West Hartford near the Asylum-Trout Brook intersection and and at Flanders School in East Lyme.

On June 28, the announcement was made that the area Miracle Field was moving to the Northeast School campus as efforts to put it at Cross Farms in Tolland fizzled out. Municipal and education officials in Vernon and the Miracle League of Northern Connecticut gathered there to officially announce what they termed "a unique partnership" to provide a "state-of-the-art facility" for special needs athletes.

Reasons cited included level land that currently serves as a field and Northeast School's location just off Route 30 and just east of Route 31 near the Exit 67 Interstate 84 interchange.

The Vernon Town Council unanimously supported and authorized local officials to enter into an agreement with the Miracle League of Northern Connecticut at its June 21 meeting and a contract was signed a week later. The Vernon Board of Education also endorsed the project.

Steven Leibowitz of the Miracle League said the $200,000-plus raised so far represents about a third of the price tag for the field.

Fund-raising efforts are ongoing through donations and grants like the one from 100 Women.

The Miracle League Field in Vernon will have a rubberized, synthetic "short turf" surface that is fully accessible to athletes who use wheelchairs or have other mobility issues. The field would be configured on a baseball diamond with 45-foot base paths with enough room for a rectangular field to accommodate sports like lacrosse and soccer.

In addition to the specially designed turf surface, Miracle League fields have wheelchair-accessible dugouts, and are completely flat and barrier free so that children with visual disabilities can participate, he said. Each player has a "buddy" who assists her or him during play.

Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne said the field will become "part of Northeast School" with availability to locals when not in use by the Miracle league. The field will be located near the current backstop closest to Route 30.