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Reminder! First Event Is This Saturday, Sept. 8th

The first of the series of four Beacon Hill Family Fun events gets underway this Saturday at from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Eastvale Park in Beacon Hill North.

Music, a barbecue, draws, fun events and prizes will all be part of the program.

It's free to participate and you don't have to live in Beacon Hill. We will be selling burgers, hot dogs and drinks. Proceeds from the barbecue will be donated to the Miracle League of Ottawa.

The Family Fun League in the News

Want to hear more about the what and why of the Family Fun League? Listen to John and Matt being interviewed by Alan Neal on CBC Radio's All In A Day earlier this week.

Free Event Registration

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Hold on hockey, summer is not over yet!

Ottawa, 4 September 2018 - We are still in the dog days of summer until September 22nd. Sure, the kids are back in school and the hockey leagues are already doing sort-outs, but that doesn’t mean summer has to end prematurely.

The Beacon Hill Family Fun League, offering a series barrier-free community baseball events open to anyone, anywhere, is staking its claim on all four Saturdays in September.

“This is barrier-free baseball,” says Matt Kletke, one of two Beacon Hill dads behind the FFL. “This means that you can come out and have a hot dog, maybe win a prize, cheer on the teams and, if you want, try your hand at baseball regardless if you’ve played before, your age or your gender.”

The official competitive leagues can be a barrier to people who would otherwise like to come out and play. Barriers can include cost, time commitments, special needs or a general feeling of being excluded because of your age, gender, skill level or experience in your family or culture with baseball.

“To give just one example, little league teams are 99% boys but when we go to a Blue Jays or Ottawa Champions game, the stands are packed with as many women and girls as men and boys,” says John McKay, the other dad. “There are probably many reasons for this disconnect but our solution is to simply say, come out and play – and have fun!”

Music, a barbeque, draws, fun events and prizes will all be part of the program during the 12:00 to 16:00 events on September 8, 15, 22 and 29 at Eastvale Park in the north part of Beacon Hill. You don’t have to live in Beacon Hill to come out and have fun.

While participation is free, proceeds from the barbeque will go to the Miracle League of Ottawa (www.miracleleagueofottawa.com), a purpose-built baseball field in Ottawa for special needs kids and adults.

There is a clear need for this new addition to the baseball landscape in Ottawa. Within days of the launch of the FFL in the third week of August, dozens of people registered and many local businesses and organizations quickly lined up to become sponsors, make donations and provide support.

For more information go to beaconhillfun.ca or contact one of our organizers below.

John McKay

613-614-0706

johnnelsonmckay@gmail.com

Matt Kletke

(343) 998-3642

rmkletke@rogers.com

REMEMBER

You don't have to go to all four events. Come to one, two, three or four of the events. Arrive when you want, leave when you must!
You don't have to register to attend. You can show up at the events and have fun. It just really helps us to have a sense of how many are coming on each of the Saturdays. Please register if you can but don't decide not to come because you haven't filled out a form!
You don't have to live in Beacon Hill. Our events are open to anyone, anywhere.
You don't have to play baseball. There will be lots of things to keep you busy and entertained - a bbq, draws, etc. There is also a playground next to the field.

This is barrier-free, community baseball - made just for you!

It would be great if you could print out our poster in English or French and display it at your work or business. If you're really feeling enterprising, why not print some out and put them in your neighbour's mailboxes!