About

The Miracle League

Special Needs Young Boy with Baseball MittThere are 275 Miracle League Organizations across the country including Puerto Rico, Canada, and Australia. The Miracle League is proud to serve over 200,000 children and young adults with disabilities.

The Miracle League Field is a baseball diamond consisting of a rubberized latex-free surface that is free of obstacles and has painted baselines and dugouts at field level. The field is designed specifically for wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility devices needed to assist participating youth.

Miracle League Rules

  • Every player bats once each inning
  • All players are safe on the bases
  • Every player scores a run before the inning is over (last one up gets a home run)
  • Community volunteers serve as 'buddies' to assist the players
  • Every game ends in a tie

Testimonials

"David has Cerebral Palsy. He has no head or trunk control and is unable to walk or talk. I never thought that David would be able to enjoy sports activities until last year. Ankeny opened the Miracle League and David is playing baseball and is having the time of his life. They have people who volunteer to be their helpers (called Angels in the Outfield), they help the kids hold the bat and hit the ball and they help the ones in the wheelchairs get to their bases. David gets to interact and participate with children of all ages. The smiles and the laughter and all the adults cheering is priceless."

"Our son Will has participated in Miracle League since its beginning in Ankeny and he has truly enjoyed every season. One of Will's favorite parts of playing is interacting with his "Angels in the Outfield". Whether it be helping him at bat, running around the bases, or rolling the ball back and forth in the outfield, Will has certainly been blessed with some wonderful Angels! It is hard to describe how much these moments mean to the players (and their parents) but it is obvious from the expressions on their faces. We truly believe that it is impossible to leave the Miracle League field on a Saturday morning without a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart."

"Proud to live in a community that makes sure all children get to play the All-American game! It was very well designed to serve the needs of the children."

History

The Miracle Park Project is a $1.7 million public-private partnership between the City of Ankeny and the Ankeny Kiwanis Club.

Fundraising efforts began in 2012 to construct the second Miracle League Field in Iowa but the first with a co-located All-Inclusive Playground to benefit youth with special needs. The Miracle Park Project is located in Hawkeye Park, which is one of Ankeny's most prominent parks. The park is centrally located, with high visibility and convenient parking in close proximity to the park.

Construction began in the Fall of 2012 and the Miracle League Field opened on September 7, 2013, for the first Ankeny Kiwanis Miracle League season. On September 27, 2014, the first phase, the 5 to 12-year-old section, of the All-Inclusive Playground was opened to the public. The restroom and concession facility also opened up in the fall. On May 2, 2015, the final two phases, the 2 to 5-year-old section and the standalone equipment, were completed and made available for public access.

Sponsors and Donors


Title Sponsors $200,000+

John Deere Des Moines Works

Karl Chevrolet

Champions $100,000 - $199,999

Albaugh, Inc. Kiwanis Club of Ankeny

Builders $50,000 - $99,999

Ankeny Hy-Vee

City of Ankeny

Musco Lighting

Polk County

Tesdell Electric


Angels $25,000 - $49,000

Casey's General Store

Classic Builders

Community State Bank

Kerry Walter-Ashby and Todd Ashby

Mannatts

Mel and Kathy Weatherwax

Seamus Excavating

Snyder and Associates

The Downing Family

Heroes $10,000 - $24,999

Ankeny Chamber of Commerce

Ankeny School District

Atlantic Bottling Company

Carl and Janet Lust-In Honor of Brandon Lust

CJM Financial

Don and Charlene Lamberti

FEH Associates

Iowa USSSA and Central Iowa Sports

KaBoom

Lighting Solutions

Lohse Family Foundation Fund

Monsanto

Nehring Construction

Prairie Meadows

Principal Financial Group

Tom and Joan Quinlin Family

Two Rivers Bank and Trust

Vivianne Jancys

Friends $5,000 - $9,999

Ankeny Girls Softball Association

Ankeny Junior Football

Ankeny Rotary

Ankeny Sports Complex Foundation

Bankers Trust

Brad Van Weelden Company

C.H. Robinson

Centurion Stone

Dee Zee

January Burch and Bob Mitchell

Karon Lacey

Knights of Columbus

Kum and Go

Lincoln Savings Bank

Nancy C. Spahr

Northwest Bank

Polk County Farm Bureau

Randy and Peggy Munson

Richard and Mary Langdon

Terry and Cheryl Van Oort

Toro

Vision Financial Group



Supporters $1000 - $4,999

Aaron and Emily Forrester

Ankeny Economic Development Corp.

Ankeny Fire Department

Ankeny First United Methodist Church

Ankeny Jaycees Joe and Kelly Quinlin

Ankeny Key Club - In Memory of Joe Tourte

Ankeny Lions Club

Ankeny Little League

Ankeny Volleyball Association

Ashland Ridge Elementary PTO

Ashley and Ryan Penning

Bell Brothers Heating and Air Conditioning

Brian and Deb Coyle Marcus R. Pitts - NAI Optimum

Care Initiatives Meadowbrook Builders

Cary and Heidi Murphy

Catersville Elevator, Inc.

Chad Ireland

Chemorse

Chuck and Ruth Gassmann

Clete and Ellie Anderson

Cory and Lisa Schoening

Crocker Elementary PTO

Dan and Mary Quinlin

Dan and Pat Fliger

Dana Downing

Dave and Ann Kissinger

David Ashby

Denny and Patti Warren

Dick and Sue Rasmussen

Doll Distributing

Dolores Van Oort

Don and Carolyn Zuck

Dr. Sara Schutte-Schenck and Todd Schenck

Dunkin Donuts

Ed and Jodi Steyer

Elizabeth Overberg

George Holmes Tim Spooner

Georgetown Turkey Trot

Great Western Bank

Gregory L. O'Hara Charitable Fund

Griffin Hall, Parker and Gabrielle Griffin

Heartland Millwrights

Holy Trinity Luthern Church

In Honor of David Hartline

In Honor of David Hartline, Abby Faber and Katie Gray

Iowa Beverage Systems

Jean Long - In Memory Of

Jeff and Lindsay Clement

Jeff and Lisa Anderlik

Jim and Emily Robidoux

Jim and Emily Spradling

Joel and Krissa Krusemark

John and Nancy Peterson

Kelly and Mike Rinker

Kent and Kim Kaplan

Kim and Mike Griffin

Knights of Columbus-Iowa State Council

Larry and Frances Nielsen

Michael and Linda Sharp

Mid American Energy Company

Mike and Krista Perin

NE/IA Kiwanis Foundation

Nick and Courtney Lenox

Noodles and Company

Northeast Elementary PTO

Northwest Elementary PTO

Optimist Club of Ankeny

Patrick and Lori Quinlin

Paul and Vickie Rhoads

Pizza Ranch

Prairie Ridge Middle School

Richard and Marcia Flaugh

Robert and Virginia Bettle

Ryan and Tami Sullivan

Sean and Linda McTaggart

Sydney Kate Peterson Memorial Fund

Ted and Landi Quinlin

Theresa and Clay Cook

Tim and Christine Quinlin

Tim and Monica Kirgan

Tom and Cindy Fish

Tom and Kendra Caruth

Tom and Sara Hanley

Tori's Eye Photography

Veridian Credit Union

Wal Mart Foundation

Weitz Company

Wellmark Blues Care

Yoga in the Park Ankeny



Boosters $500 - $999

Ankeny Police Department

Ankeny United Methodist Women

Ankeny Women's Club

Art of Life Salon

Bob Mitchell and Associates

Brian and David Fett-Jones

Brian Herbel

Bryce Houghton and Kelly Ribich

Business Impact Group

Carla and Denny Prather

Colleen Mooi

Dale and Michelle Schmitt

Dean and Becky Hoffman

Dean and Beverly Baer

Des Moines Golden K Kiwanis Club

Dick and Joyce Howe

Direct Realty Company

Family and Friends of Katie Gray

First National Bank

Gabby, Nick and Emily Scherle

Gary Ratigan


GuideOne Insurance

Hy-Vee Prairie Trail

Iowa Countertops

Iowa Rush Soccer Club

Jeff and Elaine Rasmussen

John and Marvis Landon

John and Mary Keck

Jon and Taylor VanBruggen

Keep Ankeny Beautiful

Kemin Industries, Inc.

Kimberley Development Corporation

Kinzler Construction Services

Kohl's

Liberty Bank

Lucas Trosper

Mary Beth Overton

Mary Ferree

Maybelle Bowers - In Memory Of

Meredith Corporation

Michael and Allison Schaeffer

Nick and Elaine Pauly


North Polk National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society

Northeast Girls on the Run

Omaha Community Foundation

Pepperjax Grill

Premier Plumbing, Inc.

R.L Fridley Theatres, Inc.

Rachel Snyder

Signs-N-More

St. Luke Catholic Church

Suzy Poock

Thrivent Financial

Todd Construction

Todd Redenius

Tom and Karen Lacey

Tom and Renee Connolly

Tyler and Lindsey Brady Family

USTA Missouri Valley

Valley Bank

Villas at Stonewater

Vision Financial Group

William and Tina Mabuce

Community $1 - $499

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