Yesterday, when I got to the Miracle League of Michigan field [[a baseball league for special-needs kids that I help run), something felt amiss.
For starters, the parking space next to the one I chose was full of discarded fast-food wrappers. There were clearly pigs around [[as well as geese, but that's another story).
As I approached the field, something felt amiss -- though I couldn't put my finger on it just yet.
Then, I saw it.
First, there were trash cans that had been dumped on their sides. Pigs.
Then, I saw that the new aluminum benches in the dugouts had been turned over -- probably because some f****** scrappers wanted them. But they were too awkward to move, so the f****** left them there.
We'd only had the benches for a couple or three weeks. Same as we've only had the wheelchair-accessible aluminum picnic tables for a couple or three weeks. Same as we've only had the aluminum bleachers for a couple or three weeks.
The tables and bleachers were secured by cables to the backstop and the fences. We won't make the same mistake with the dugout benches.
FYI -- the tables, benches and bleachers were 100 percent paid for by the 50/50 raffles we run at most of the games and by the proceeds from our concession stands. Not a dime comes from the city of Southfield, even though the field is located on city property. All the money that has ever gone to the league -- for construction, improvements or maintenance -- comes from donations or from proceeds from concessions or raffles.
To top it off, the field is located within seconds of the Southfield Police Department. The vandals were very lucky and very stupid.
And they were also the sort of people who would have no problem stealing from an all-volunteer organization that serves disabled kids.
F******!
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