East Carter FCCLA to host inaugural Star Ball game

East Carter welcomes a new platform for baseball where everyone can get in on the action.

The Ellsinore Family Career Community Leadership of America (FCCLA) organization will host their first-ever Star Ball game on Friday at the Brodie Gargac Memorial Field.

The FCCLA is a club that helps students become better members of society by learning leadership skills, making a positive difference in today’s world by participating in events and doing service projects, serving in leadership positions, networking with other youth leaders and attaining essential college and career-ready skills.

Members Gracie Miller and Abi Price decided for their service project that they wanted to host a Star Ball event, very similar to Buddy Ball, which allows anyone with special physical or mental disabilities to participate in a fun game of baseball.

Miller and Price were inspired by Anna Alexander, who participated in the Buddy Ball league during the summer and worked over the past month on putting the event together to give kids in their area the same experience.

This game is a one-day event with two games for ages seven to junior high and high school to adult. The event will be free to all participants, and they currently have players from ages seven to 73 signed up.

Director Amanda Smith is excited to bring this event to the community and hopes it will become something they can do every year.

“I am nervous and excited at the same time about hosting our first game,” Smith said. “I am hoping this becomes an annual event. We wanted to do this because we don’t have an activity like this in our community, and we feel it is important to offer things for every child. Several students participated in the Poplar Bluff league during the summer, and we wanted to offer something like it here for all of our students and any other person with disabilities.”

Smith said playing baseball should be an enjoyable experience for everyone. It offers the chance to have fun, be active and participate in a sport. She invites everyone in the surrounding areas to come and enjoy the fun.

The first game will kick off at 4:30 p.m., with the other following shortly after.