Challenge Grove Park, the Cherry Hill home of Build Jake’s Place, will soon be upgrading its facilities to include a Miracle Field.
The field will allow for kids with disabilities of all kinds to partake in sports, such as baseball, Jim Cummings, a Build Jake’s Place board member and Jake’s grandfather, said.
While there is no opening date finalized yet, Cummings said it would definitely be this year, in part due to significant funding from the Camden County freeholders.
At the same time, the park will be renamed Jake’s Place at Challenge Grove.
The current playground was built through the kindness of “regular folks” giving $20 bills, Cummings said.
“It’s working great and it’s all because of the generosity of so many people,” he said.
Other future projects are on the drawing board, including the rebuilding of the pavilion, the construction of a concession stand next to the field and a renovation of the basketball court to allow for more accessibility.
The overall hope is to become a national model and destination location for a fully accessible play space for disabled children, Cummings said.
“It’s already working for us,” he said, explaining that the playground is filled with happy children playing on any given day. “That was our whole purpose from the very beginning.”
“They just have a good time together. They just play.”
When building Jake’s Place originally, it seemed natural to plan for a Miracle Field after visiting a Gloucester County location.
“It’s just a wonderful place,” he said.
Jake loved watching sports, listening to screeching and screaming, even though he couldn’t play.
“It’s just so alive,” Cummings said.
He saw dads helping kids with mental disabilities, little boys and girls behind helped by a girls’ lacrosse team through the buddy system and average kids helping a little boy in a wheelchair “who had never played a game before in his life,” he said.
Buddies glean so much from the experience.
“They have so much fun helping these kids,” he said.
It is typical to place a field next to a playground and helps families with more than one disabled child. Sometimes, a toddler can be found on the playground while an older sibling takes advantage of the field, he said.
Cherry Hill has the challenger league in the spring and fall for disabled children, and, once complete, they, too, will have field access for games.
The opportunity will expand to include wheelchair-bound kids in the league, he said.
Through the week, the field will be open to anyone who wants to utilize it. An application will be needed through the county.
“It’s meant for everybody to enjoy,” he said.
Now, the search is on for helpers.
“We’re looking for managers (and) coaches that will help us get the league started. We’re also looking for buddies,” Cummings said.
Buddies are able-bodied “kids” from 12 to 99 who will agree to spend a short period of time helping kids while playing ball.
The games are shorter, with three innings, he said.
Shade is also on the horizon as a necessity.
Jake took 14 medications each day and many of the pill bottles urged against being in the sun for more than 20 minutes.
More shade will keep kids safer.
“This will allow moms and dads to take their kids and put them in an area that is shaded,” Cummings said, while having lunch and taking a breather.
The baseball seasons will be in the spring and fall rather than the summer to avoid harsh sunlight.
There are plenty of ways to get involved and contribute to upgrades.
Wine Don’t Whine will be held on Sunday, April 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Caffe Aldo Lamberti on Route 70 in Cherry Hill.
“This is a great dinner,” Cummings said.
Aldo Lamberti provides the five-course meal and wines come in from different wineries. This year will feature Chateau Ste. Michelle from Oregon.
The dinner serves two purposes: to raise funds and to thank members of the community who have shown support.
The night is not kid-friendly.
Tickets are sold for $110 per person and can be purchased by calling Cummings at (856) 662–4418.
A video presentation will be a highlight, showing kids having a blast on the playground.
“It’s quite an evening,” Cummings said.
Learn more about the history of Build Jake’s Place, ways to get involved and future projects at www.buildjakesplace.org.
