Help Toms River’s Field of Dreams Become a Reality
You have likely read or heard recently about the monumental effort in Toms River to build a true “Field of Dreams.”
It is the brainchild and passion of Chrstian Kane and his wife Mary and it would benefit those like their six-year old son Gavin and other special needs children. For those not aware Gavin suffered serious injuries in a car accident nearly five years ago as Chris was getting ready to pull into the entrance of Toms River High School North where he teaches.
The then 19-month old spent two months hospitalized and suffered severe brain trauma but the Kane’s never considered anything but bringing him home.
Their home has been made handicapped accessible for Gavin who is in kindergarten at Silver Bay Elementary School and communicates by using a tablet computer and gets around thanks to a specialized wheel chair. The Kane’s even built a backyard play area, complete with a trampoline and rubberized surface but realize that most special needs children don’t have something like that.
So with this as the backdrop they envisioned and then began planning the building of a facility called the “Toms River Field of Dreams” on donated land from the township on Bay Avenue. It would include a special needs baseball field, playground, miniature golf course, pavilion and snack area and much more.
It will also be used by youth services of Toms River and other programs offered by the Toms River school district throughout the year and during the spring and fall home to the Frazier Special Needs Baseball Program with the full endorsement of White Sox slugger Todd Frazier.
Of course a project of this nature takes money. About $1.2 million and recent stories have resulted in a promising start to a grassroots effort. The first official fundraiser is through a Lakewood BlueClaws game on Monday, May 22nd in which the Kane’s hope to sell 500 tickets at $20 each which includes a special TR Field of Dreams t-shirt. Plus kids 12 and under get a free hot dog, chips and drink. For more information visit trfieldofdreams.weebly.com.
As Christian Kane told me, ”from tragedy can come greatness.” When they cut the ribbon for this “Field of Dreams” it will be something truly spectacular.