By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



The Rotary Club of Gardendale is doing its part to help an ambitious community project.

On Sept. 6, the club will host its first gala to raise funds for a proposed Miracle League baseball park in Gardendale.

The park features a baseball field with a rubberized playing surface and flat bases to accommodate physically challenged children who want to play baseball.

The Rotary clubs of Rockdale County, Ga., and Conyers, Ga., helped fund the building of the first Miracle League park in Conyers, according to the Miracle League’s Web site.

Rotary Club of Gardendale President Aaron Box said Rotary’s ties to the first park is what makes the local club’s efforts that much more special.

“Through the club raising money like this, we’ll be able to contribute a significant amount toward this project,” Box said. “It was Rotary that helped build the first field, so we wanted to be a part of this project.”

Jeff Dennis, of Jeff Dennis Jewelry in Gardendale, is coordinating the local effort to have the park built. He presented a short promotional film to the club earlier this year.

Dennis could not be reached for comment about the gala.

“It’s an honor for Rotary to be able to take this on as a project,” said Gary Bailey, a member of the gala committee. “It’s not only a way for us to be able to do our part in Rotary, but also to stay an integral part of the community.”

The club’s gala will be held at The Club in Birmingham, located at 1 Robert Smith Drive in Homewood.

Tickets for the black-tie gala are $250. However, each ticket admits two people and also enters the ticketholder into a drawing for a grand prize of $20,000.

Box said other door prizes will also be given away throughout the evening. He said all prizes given away will have a value of at least $250.

“You have an excellent opportunity to win a door prize,” he said. “We expect it to be a first-class event that everyone will want tickets to every year.”

Box stressed that this is not a Rotary-only event and he encouraged members of the community to help support the club’s commitment to the Miracle League project by purchasing a ticket.

However, only 250 tickets will be printed for the event. Those who purchase tickets do not have to be in attendance at the gala to win prizes. Tickets will not be available at the door.

In addition to door prizes and the big grand prize, the event will feature what Box referred to as “extravagant hors d’œuvres” and will be emceed by Fox 6 sports personality Sheldon Haygood.

To purchase tickets to the Rotary Gala, contact Gary Bailey at 914-0914 or send a letter to the Rotary Club at P.O. Box 71, Gardendale, AL, 35071.

For more information about Rotary International, visit www.rotary.org. To learn more about the Miracle League, visit www.miracleleague.com.