Joel Engelhardt
Joel here with one of the lesser-known gems of Palm Beach County.
It was opening day Thursday for the Miracle League of Palm Beach County’s baseball season in Palm Beach Gardens, one of its two locations.
What is the Miracle League? It’s where kids ages 5 and up with physical and mental disabilities can achieve the dream of playing baseball.
Why’s that important? “They get to play and interact with frends and be part of a team,” said Jeff Kadel, who founded the league in 2007 in Delray Beach with his wife, Julia. “You see the smiles. These kids rarely get opportunities. It’s about making them feel special.”
It also brings up volunteer opportunities for high school athletes, as well as adults. Every player is assigned a buddy, who helps them swing the bat or run the bases.
“We’ve had buddies so inspired, they change their focus in college to special ed,” Kadel said.
Four teams of about 15 each ran through a gauntlet of buddies, parents and fans to take the field in Gardens on opening day, welcomed by the entire City Council and 14-year-old player Anelisse Lastre’s solo rendition of the National Anthem.
- Palm Beach Gardens paid about $550,000 to provide the two synthetic-turf fields off of Burns Road near City Hall in 2020. Nova Riverside, which operates a local self-storage complex, contributed $350,000 of the sum.
Anelisse, who has autism, has been playing for about three years.
“The first time we went, I was in tears,” said her mother, Silvia Lastre. “Because growing up, baseball was my thing that I shared with my dad.
“It was very emotional for me when I saw her play for the first time.”
Kadel recalled another moving moment.
He was playing catch with a young boy when the boy’s father came up and took over the underhanded game of toss.
Suddenly, the father dropped the ball and walked off.
Kadel found him later, sobbing, in the corner of the dugout.
The father excused himself for leaving abruptly.
“I never thought I’d ever be able to play catch with my son,” he said.
“That’s when it really hit me,” Kadel said, “that you’re changing what people think on every level.”
To volunteer or join: Check out the league’s website here or email Kadel at jeff@mlpbc.com.
Joel is a founder, reporter and editor at Stet News. His award-winning newspaper career spanned more than 40 years, including 28 years at The Palm Beach Post, which he left in 2020. Joel lives with his wife in Palm Beach Gardens. He volunteers on the board of NAMI Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach Gardens Historical Society.
