Date: February 2025

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA: The Miracle League of Alexandria (MLA), a 501c3 non-profit that supports recreational sports and opportunities for individuals with special needs, in collaboration with the City of Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities – Therapeutic Recreation Program (TR), will be delivering 15 sensory bags to recreation centers and after school programs within the city.

The Sensory Bags were named Brian’s Sensory Bags, in memory of Brian Schutzius (son of Laura and Jack Fries).

The sensory bags, supplied by the MLA with input and support of ACPS Special needs instructors and TR include items such as therapy putty, nonverbal communication cards, fidget toys and calming sensory items.

“As part of the Miracle League of Alexandria’s Community Outreach Program, we are very proud to collaborate with the Recreation Department staff by providing each recreation center and afterschool program with a collection of hand-picked items that can be used to stimulate or soothe a child in distress,” said Mac Slover, chair of the Miracle League of Alexandria.

Distribution locations include the recreation centers at Charles Barrett, Charles Houston, Chinquapin Park, Leonard “Chick” Armstrong, Durant Center, Buddie Ford Nature Center, Nannie J. Lee, Mount Vernon, Patrick Henry, and William Ramsay. The sensory bags will also be delivered to four afterschool programs at John Adams, Douglas MacArthur, Ferdinand T. Day, and Frances Hammond.

Recently, the MLA worked with the city to upgrade the Sensory Room at the Nannie J. Lee Center and is currently working with the city to get the Mobile Sensory Unit running for visits and field trips. The MLA donated a $3,500 lighted tunnel for the sensory room at George Mason Elementary School and until sensory rooms and calming measures are available at all city schools and rec centers, these sensory bags can fill that gap, said Slover.

“These bags provide practical resources to help anyone with special needs as well as a calming alternative for typical kids needing diversion or redirection.”

The MLA, comprised of private citizens concerned with supporting recreation and sports opportunities for individuals with special needs, holds spring and fall baseball leagues at the Miracle Field of Alexandria, a special rubberized surface that allows for full inclusion. Alexandria is currently the only city regionally that has one of these inclusive fields, located adjacent to the Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center. While reserved for special needs, it is open to anyone for use through the city’s recreation department. The MLA recently concluded two successful spring and fall seasons of MLA baseball and offers field trip games with special education students from the Alexandria City Public Schools. 

More information, including a full schedule of events, volunteer opportunities, and how to donate, can be found on this site.

MLA Begins Donation of Sensory Bags to ACPS Special Education Classes

The Miracle League of Alexandria has now begun to donation their Brian’s Sensory Bags to some of the Alexandria City Public Schools Special Education Classes.  The community outreach project implemented by the MLA earlier this year started with donations to the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Community Recreation Centers.  The goal of MLA is providing sensory bags to all ACPS School Special Education programs by June of 2026.

During the MLA/ACPS School Field Trip Games this past fall, Alexandria City High School, George Washington Middle School, Francis Hammond Middle School and Jefferson Houston K-8 School received bags from Mac Slover, Chair and Laura Fries, Vice Chair.  The teachers receiving them were very excited and stated the bags would be a wonderful, needed addition to their programs. 

Susan Blake – ACHS, Laura Fries – MLA, Kristin Colozza – ACHS
Group of teachers with students from ACHS
Mac Slover, MLA, Mr. Tehseen – John Adams ES, Sylwia Logiewa, Cora Kelly ES & Olga Kinder – Wm. Ramsay ES
Group of teachers with students from CKES, WRES, & JAES
Laura Fries, MLA with SPED Teachers from George Mason ES and James K. Polk ES
SPED Teachers from Francis Hammond MS, Jefferson Houston K-8  & George Washington MS
With Laura Fries & Mac Slover, MLA
Chris Finan, Principal – George Mason ES, with SPED class at Miracle Field with Mac Slover, MLA

Calder Sherman Donates 15 Sensory Bags to the MLA

For the second time this spring season, the MLA received a donation of 15 sensory bags to distribute to the community in Alexandria. Calder Sherman, chose as part of his Bar Mitzvah Project, to support the Miracle League of Alexandria also. Calder loves baseball and chose to donate 15 of the smaller versions of the sensory bags to the league. The sensory bags outreach program implemented by the MLA earlier this year. Mac Slover, Chair of the MLA, stated “the MLA have been honored to have been chosen to be a part of two important Bar Mitzvah Projects this spring. We were very happy to be able to work with Elliott and Calder on their projects. It makes you feel the work we are doing for the special needs community in Alexandria means a lot to everyone, especially our young people too.”  

Calder received a certificate of appreciation and was received a Washington Nationals jersey/hat from the MLA. Like Elliott, Calder plays in the Alexandria Little League and was selected recently for the all-stars on their Intermediate team. They will be competing later in June in the District All-star games. Good luck to Calder in the all-stars. A special thank you goes out to Calder for the sensory bags and thinking of the MLA!