It was a grand day last Thursday for Peter Ladka, owner of software solutions and custom web development company Parse3, near NYC. He and the non-profit organization Beautiful People that he founded in 2006, were honored by the Yankees as part of their second annual HOPE Week initiative which recognizes organizations and individuals who Help Others Persevere and Excel. This is the very mission of Beautiful People which provides adaptive team sports such as baseball and soccer to special needs children of Orange County, NY, who might not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in team sports of any kind.
18 of the Orange County families that participate in the Beautiful People programs, went to Yankee stadium to proudly represent the entire organization and they experienced a day they will never forget.
The day began with great fanfare as the bus was greeted by Yankees representatives and the press. The group was escorted to a special suite from which they would overlook the home game against Detroit. Soon after, a surprise visitor, Yankees hitter, Mark Teixeira, announced that the kids were invited to come down to the field after the game to play ball with some of their baseball heroes.
Another treat followed when the group was brought to the field to stand with the players during the National Anthem. At that time, Peter Ladka was asked to throw out the first pitch. He also received a special Volunteer Service Award from the White House and a personal note from Barack Obama thanking him for his service to the community.
The win against Detroit that day meant participating in the end-of-game high fives. Soon after, the real fun began. Yankees and their families streamed out of the lockers holding large handmade signs helping each child find their Yankee “buddy” before starting their very own game on the famous field. The kids were the stars of the moment, but the joy was everyone’s gift, especially Peter’s. “It will be a memory of a lifetime for all of us” he added.