The Miracle League of Alexandria

From alexandrianews.org Courage to Live Big Mural Provides Inspiration by Katie Smythe

From the Gazette Packet front page Live Big

From NBCWashington Mural to Be Unveiled at Kelley Cares Miracle Field

Video of dedication event created by Kevin Cstll

We are excited to unveil our newest addition to the Kelley Cares Miracle Field this Saturday! The mural was inspired by the Courage Wall, a project launched last year by Alexandria resident and business owner Nancy Belmont. Artist Matt Corrado created a vibrant design with the words, “Courage to Live BIG.”

Saturday Event Program (pdf)

The colorful, larger-than-life art will face the Kelley Cares Miracle Field. The Theme of the wall – the Courage to Live Big – particularly applies to the special needs players in the Miracle League Program. Every day, they show the courage to face life’s challenges and keep moving forward.

The project will be the city’s first long-standing interactive mural, with chalkboard space for participants in the City of Alexandria Therapeutic Recreation Program to write and draw, adding their contributions in colorful chalk. The Therapeutic Recreation youth and adults inspired the portion of the mural reading “Time to Play!” A cluster of hand prints from participants in the program illustrates the power of diversity in building unity.

The project will be unveiled on Saturday, April 23 at 12:30PM, just before the season’s first Miracle League baseball game. The unveiling will be a family-friendly celebration of courage, featuring a performance by the Rainbow Rock Band, a mindfulness moment by the Mindful Junkie, Gina Rollo White, reflections on courage by Therapeutic Recreation participants and a cookout featuring Southblock juices. The public is encouraged to attend the unveiling and stay for the game.

The mural is a true community partnership, with funds and brainpower contributed by the City of Alexandria, Kelley Cares Foundation, Miracle League of Alexandria, lululemon Alexandria, #WeLiveBig, Gravitate Solutions and Jen Walker the Realtor for Del Ray & Beyond.

Read the PRESS RELEASE

The Miracle League of Alexandria, the Kelley Cares Foundation, the City of Alexandria, lululemon, and others in the community have combined their resources to have an artist paint a mural on the support building at the Kelley Cares Miracle Field. The mural will highlight the courage of our players in playing sports and just living their lives. It’ll incorporate their own artwork, along with the concepts of artist Matt Corrado and creator Nancy Belmont.

There will be an unveiling of the mural at the opening game of the adult Spring 2016 season on April 23rd. More details to follow. And follow this site for updates on the actual painting of the mural!!

Today was a terrific day! RPCA/Miracle League/Kelley Cares hosted the Fairfax Falcons in a demonstration basketball game and then ran a clinic with some of the children and adults who attended.

Thanks to Lindsay & Terry for coming along with Michael Briscoe and his girlfriend from DC! Bill, we missed you. Margaret Orlando, Tamika Coleman and Jackie Person from RPCA came out to support too.

I am proud the Fairfax Falcons athletes and Lisa and Erick Road (Falcons Directors) today for coming out and showing everyone that anyone can be an athlete no matter what. We had pretty good support from our youth basketball children and families as well as a touring group from the State Department who happen to come in and then stayed to watch and participate in the clinic.

Thanks again for everyone’s support. They will be coming in the spring to one of the Miracle League games to participate too.

Mac Slover
Director of Sports
Field & Courts Coordinator
City of Alexandria, Virginia
Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities