Volume 2  February 2017
Congratulations to the Name our Newsletter Contest Winner
Thank you to all who submitted many worthy entries for our "Name our Newsletter" contest that was featured in our first e-newsletter that was sent last month.  The winning entry "We Can" was submitted by Cindy Bartholomew.  We took the liberty to alter it a bit by adding "Chronicle" to the title.  We felt that it tells the story about all that we do at The Miracle League of CT.  Cindy will receive a $50 Dunkin' Donut gift card for her great idea.  Please look forward to many issues of the We Can Chronicles in your email box on a regular basis. 
Register Now for the 2017 Spring Season
Registration is now open for the 2017 Spring Miracle League of CT Baseball Season.  Boys and girls ages 4-21 who have physical and or cognitive challenges are invited to join us.  Players are welcome from anywhere in the state.  There are 2 age divisions 4-10 & 11-21.  All games will be played on Sunday afternoons on the Miracle League field in West Hartford.  
Miracle League baseball is all about fun and inclusion.  Everybody gets to bat each inning and everyone gets to cross the plate to help their team.  Please help us by registering your child early.  Please visit our website for more info or  to register by clicking HERE.
     Space Still Available for Begin to Swim       Adapted Swim Lessons
 Our next session of Miracle League Adapted Swim lessons will begin on Saturday March 11th and will run 4 weeks until April 1st .  The lessons which will be held at the JCC on the Bloomfield/West Hartford border are designed for beginners.  We focus on getting the children comfortable and safe in and around the water.  All swimmers must be accompanied by a parent or other designated adult in the water during the lessons.  Please visit our website  for more information and to register by clicking HERE.
The Miracle League of CT and West Hartford SEPTO are partnering for a Parents Only Night on Saturday February 25th at the Underground in West Hartford.  Line up a baby sitter and come join us for a beer or glass of wine and some munchies while you get together with old friends or make some new ones.  The relaxing evening will include free chair massages courtesy of Contours Salon in Bloomfield.  We hope you can join us.  Please register by clicking on the picture.
WE NEED YOU!!!
Volunteer to be a Baseball Buddy Now
Buddies are volunteers who are paired with an athlete during the game. They provide support and encouragement while ensuring their player's safety.  Buddies do not need to be baseball players.  Any person ages 12 and up with an interest in working with and becoming friends with children with physical and or cognitive challenges is qualified to be a Miracle League of CT buddy.   All volunteers must pre-register.   Buddies do not need to attend every game, every week. Any level of commitment is great. However, we believe that once you get hooked by our players, you will want to spend as much time with them as possible.  Click on the picture on the right for more info or  to register as a Miracle League Buddy.
Sensory Friendly Day at the CT Science Center Sunday February 12th 
The first sensory friendly day at the CT Science Center since their  make over will be held on Sunday February 12.  The Miracle League of CT is proud to be the presenting sponsor for the Science Center's sensory friendly programming. 

Sensory friendly days are a great opportunity for families who have children with special needs to enjoy the CT Science Center in a friendly judgement free zone.  On these special days the lights are adjusted and the volumes are lowered so that children with sensory challenges can enjoy themselves.  There will also be some special live exhibits during the day.  Tickets are discounted for Sensory Friendly Days.  Get yours now for just $14 in advance or for $16.95 at the door.  CT Science Center members will get in for free!   Click on the picture to the right for advance sales. 
         Johnny's Jog for Charity Sunday March 19th
Johnny's Jog for Charity is inspired by the short but powerful life of Johnny Moran. Johnny was born with Wieacker Wolff Syndrome, a rare debilitating condition that affects the central and peripheral nervous systems. Johnny's spirit of strength and love rose far above his many limitations. His positive attitude toward life affected all who came to know him. The goal of Johnny's Jog for Charity 5K is to continue to share Johnny's spirit by bringing the community together with a grand St. Patrick's Day themed event benefiting 3 local non-profit children's charities. Many of our Miracle League families will remember Johnny's smile and those heart melting dimples.  The jog is a family friendly run / jog / stroll that brings together hundreds of families from the area.  The Miracle League of CT is so proud and honored to be one of the children's charities that the Moran family and their friends support. 


SAVE THE DATES
Miracle League of CT Golf Classic Tuesday June 6th
   Evening of Miracles   
Saturday June 10th
Keep your eyes peeled for emails in the near future about our 2 signature fundraising events.  The Miracle League of CT Golf Classic and a brand new event "Evening of Miracles".  Our golf classic has been our main source of funding for years now and has been very successful.  The only problem has been that non-golfers and those not able to commit to a full day have not been able to participate.  That is why we have decided to pair the golf up with a brand new event.  The Evening of Miracles will be a casual gala held at the YG Club at Dunkin' Donuts ball park in Hartford  (YES it will be open).  The evening will feature great food, cocktails, dancing to the sounds of recording artist Latanya Farrell and her band, silent and live auctions and lots of surprises.  We will be contacting you all soon about ways that you can help as well as how to purchase your tickets for either or both events. 
Player Profile - Meet Sofie Turek
Sofie Turek is nine years old, and hails from the town of West Hartford.  Sofie was born with a neurogenetic disorder that makes it difficult to walk.  She uses a walker and a wheelchair to get around.  Sofie uses sign language to communicate, and also has apps on her phone to assist her in speaking both English and French.

Sofie is in the third grade at Norfeldt Elementary School.  She enjoys going to school very much.  One of her favorite subjects to study is math and she can often be seen practicing it at home.  She also loves learning French.  She enjoys reading and writing and enjoys making her own books at home.  Sofie has also written some poetry.

This is Sofie's fifth year with the Miracle League and has participated in both spring and fall ball seasons since she was four years old.  In her time with the Miracle League, Sofie has progressed from using the tee to swinging at pitches all by herself!  She loves playing with her teammates and having fun on the field.  She's made lots of friends playing baseball and it's become a great part of her life, on and off the field.  Sofie has enjoyed play dates and birthdays with her friends.  She and her family have loved the other league activities like bowling and the annual Halloween trick or treat.  Baseball helps keep her active and she and her family look forward to the game every week!  Sofie is also very grateful for the buddies who help out at every game.  She loves Coach Mike, Coach Ronit, and Coach Scott!  

Sofie says "Baseball makes me feel very very happy because I get to make friends.  The best thing about baseball is friends and coaches and buddies.  I love to hit the ball."

LEARN Disability Summit March 11th
The Miracle League of CT will be taking part in the LEARN Disability Summit on Saturday March 11th at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center.  The summit will bring together many educational, family support and recreational experts for families who have children with special needs.  Vendors include organizations from all over the state who cover a wide variety of topics.  There will also be breakout sessions on different topics that affect families who have children with special needs. 
Click on the picture above for more info & to register
         Miracle League of CT Receives Grant to Expand          
iCan Bike Program Registration Open on 3/15
The Miracle League of CT is honored to have received a $16,900 grant from the Joy in Childhood Foundation which is the charitable organization for Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins.  This grant is allowing us to expand the extremely popular and successful iCan Bike Program.  We have traditionally offered the camp for one week each summer in West Hartford.  Each year the program fills up quickly.  In the summer of 2017 we will now be offering 3 weeks of the program at the following locations:
  • West Hartford  July 24th - July 28th at Conard High School
  • East Lyme  August 7th - August 11th at East Lyme Middle School
  • Milford  August 14th - August 18th at the Parsons Complex Gymnasium

iCan Bike is a 5 day program that uses innovative adaptive techniques and equipment that teaches children with physical and / or cognitive challenges the joy of independently riding a 2 wheel bicycle. Registration for all 3 camps will open on March 15th.  Slots will be filled on a first come first served basis.  Participants attend one 75 minutes session each day.  Please click here to see a video and for more information about iCan Bike. click HERE           

The Miracle League of CT thanks its partners for each week, West Hartford Dept. of Leisure Services, East Lyme Parks and Recreation Dept. and the Milford Recreation Dept.   Also we would like to thank the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association and the Farmington Inn for their continued support. 

Every Child Deserves a Chance to Play
Our Mission Statement

The Miracle League of CT provides opportunities for Connecticut’s children with physical and cognitive challenges to participate in recreational, educational and cultural activities in an accessible, nurturing and noncompetitive environment where families can come together to cultivate new friendships and experience the joy of play.

Our Program Policies

Most Miracle League programs are open to children with any physical, cognitive or developmental challenges ages 4-21.  Some programs have alternate age restrictions and will be noted on our website and those registration materials.  Many of our special events are open to the children and their families and will be noted on any promotional materials as such.
The Miracle League is all about removing barriers for children with special needs so that they can participate in recreational, educational and cultural activities as any of their friends or siblings do.  We recognize that sometimes those barriers may involve financial difficulties that a family may be going through.  We do our best to subsidize most costs for our programs in order to keep them affordable.  If you find that you may need a fee waiver or scholarship for any of our programs we encourage you to contact us by email with your request at info@miracleleaguect.org. All requests will be kept strictly confidential. We are happy to work with all of our families in order to be sure that every child who wants to participate is able to .