Celebrating the Magic of Summer

Do you have a special summer memory from your childhood? For me, it was going to a Cincinnati Reds game each summer with my dad. Growing up in Decatur County, it was just a little over an hour drive to Riverfront Stadium, although it seemed much longer as a kid.

At the game, I was in charge of keeping the stats. I filled in the line-up before the national anthem, entering each player’s name, number, and position. I tracked every strike and ball shading in the boxes. And the best was when I could enter a big “K” for a strikeout when the Reds were on the field! For days I would relive the experience in my head, talk about it excessively with my friends, and write about the experience in my “what I did over the summer” essay.

Summer experiences like this are not only fun and exciting, but also provide a sense of stability for children. They make children feel special igniting anticipation, excitement, exhaustion, and even a little sadness as the special event comes to an end.

Unfortunately, not all children get to make treasured ballpark memories of walking through those big entry gates being welcomed by a smiling staff, experiencing the taste of a concession stand hot dog, sitting in the stands with other families eagerly anticipating evening events, or remembering silly mascot antics. They’ve never had that “in awe” moment as the players walk out in their stunning uniforms.

We’re inviting you to help us give The Villages foster youth those memories at Family Night at Victory Field. Please consider purchasing a ticket for a child to attend the Indianapolis Indians game on Tuesday, June 29. We want to give each child we serve across the state the opportunity to attend America’s favorite pastime and hear those iconic two words – “play ball.”

Thanks for your continued support.

Shannon Schumacher
President & CEO, The Villages

Learn more about Family Night at Victory Field and how you can help.