Field For Athletes With Special Needs To Get Scoreboard In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — People with special needs will get a boost to their sports programs in Alexandria with a donation of a new scoreboard.

The Miracle League of Alexandria, which runs youth and adult baseball programs for people with special needs, is donating the $50,000 scoreboard to the City of Alexandria to improve its Kelley Cares Miracle Field at 1108 Jefferson Street. The donation comes from the Jessell family, in honor of their late son, Dan, and late sister, Loey, ALX Now reported. Simpson Development Company is also providing installation services free of charge. Alexandria City Council unanimously voted to accept the donation.

According to the Miracle League of Alexandria's website, the field is a synthetic turf baseball diamond that can support sports for youth and adults with special needs and has a rubber-like material that can accommodate wheelchairs. The field is geared toward baseball or softball but can also be used for kickball and T-ball. Kelley Cares Miracle Field is named for the late Kelley Swanson, an Alexandria graduate who worked for children with special needs and has the Kelley Cares Foundation dedicated in her honor.

John "Mac" Slover, chair of the Alexandria Miracle League, was at Tuesday's Alexandria City Council meeting to discuss the scoreboard donation. He called the scoreboard installation the "most special project" since the field was built in 2012.

"It's not just a scoreboard that you think of. It's a digital scoreboard that will have video and everything," said Slover. "And we're so excited about it, and being able to honor Sheri and Mark [Jessell]'s youngest son, Dan, and Sheri's sister Loey will be quite an honor."

Slover led youth and adult sports programs with the Alexandria's Alexandria Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities and started the local Miracle League before his retirement in 2018. James Spengler, director of Alexandria Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities department, said Slover had a passion for supporting children who didn't get the same opportunities as others. Even upon retirement, Spengler said Slover has been running the program.

"Mac is probably one of the most special people I've had an opportunity to meet," said City Manager James Parajon. "And I know for people in the community that may not know him, this is a person that exemplifies Alexandria and the passion and the spirit and the volunteerism, and the meaningful work that he does with our youth is just so impressive."

"You've, opened up the door of competition to so many families, and what a wonderful gift to give them," Mayor Justin Wilson told Slover.

The Miracle League of Alexandria hopes to have a dedication ceremony for the new scoreboard on Sept. 7. The league's spring season will begin on April 13.