Leveling the playing field: how Wilson takes care of special populations

Just four miles northeast of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and the North Carolina Baseball museum, a miracle is in the works.

On November 1 2022, the City of Wilson Parks & Recreation broke ground for the Wilson City Miracle Field at J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex. This “Field of Dreams and Miracles,” ensures that athletes with intellectual or physical disabilities have a chance to play baseball. The specially designed field ditches the raised bases and uneven grassy terrain to provide a smooth surface that can accommodate a greater number of athletes.

Kelsey Newsome serves as the Special Populations and Senior Coordinator for the City of Wilson Parks and Recreation Department and is thrilled about the opportunities this field will present. She said, “You don’t have to have to worry about your chair, or about your gait, or your walk trainer, you can just go out there and play. Everybody can have a chance.”

The location, within the Gillette Complex, was a purposeful decision. The complex already has statewide notoriety for its sheer scope and innovative inclusion of multiple sports. From soccer and baseball fields to disc golf and a full 5K cross country trail, this complex is a constant hub of activity. Placing the Miracle Field within this complex will raise awareness for not only the field, but also for other steps that officials and community members are taking toward ‘leveling the playing field’ for people with disabilities in Wilson.

In fact, just next door to the Miracle Field is the recently renovated All Children’s Playground which includes play areas with ramps wide enough for wheelchairs and other features designed to be more accessible than traditional playgrounds.

The Wilson Parks and Recreation Department is also instrumental in providing Special Olympics programming and inclusive sporting events and leagues where children, whether or not they have any intellectual or physical disabilities, play together.

Successful unified sports leagues for soccer, bowling and basketball are already underway.

While the ability to offer sports to children of varying abilities is crucial, Newsome says that the idea is bigger than that. It’s about ensuring that families know they are seen and supported by their community, and it’s about being able to connect with someone who understands.

“Seeing parents connect, just being able to talk to somebody who gets it … not a teacher, or provider, it’s just another person who is going through what you’re going through. Being able to give families that opportunity has been really cool,” said Newsome.

Those opportunities don’t end at sports. Through several organizations including the Arc of Wilson, Diversified Opportunities, Inc. and WhirliDogs, people with developmental and intellectual disabilities can find support, community and opportunities to just have fun from their first at bat to their first paycheck.

Speaking of a paycheck, it can be frightening for anyone to start their first job. When additional challenges are present, WhirliDogs steps in to help.

On the 200 block of Goldsboro Street, WhirliDogs Training Center and Café delivers the “power of possibility” for adults with disabilities who need their first job experience. Named to honor the nearby and well known Whirligig park, WhirliDogs serves gourmet hot dogs, homemade soups, grilled cheese, ice cream creations and more.

Dante Pittman, the city’s Human Relations Director, sits on the board of directors for WhirliDogs. He says that while the mission is focused to help individuals with disabilities, the greater goal is to begin a legacy that takes the focus away from what disabilities someone may have and shifts the focus on what abilities they possess.

He said, “We have former teachers that are on staff and on the board who can help set folks up for success down the road. The goal is for individuals to come in so we can build them up, show them what abilities they have and send them off to another part of the community where they can continue to make a positive difference… The idea is to create the pipelines for success to make sure that individuals with disabilities don’t get left behind.”

In a beautiful testimony on the WhirliDogs site, Jayme Roberts Daniels, the mother of a son diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, details her journey from fear to advocacy to hope. She writes in part: “Learning about the formation of WhirliDogs, a work-based training café in Historic Downtown Wilson for those with disabilities, has given my family hope for the future. We believe that William will graduate high school, attend college, and find a job where he is valued and fulfilled.”

This is precisely the kind of hope that Pittman hoped this opportunity could provide. WhirliDogs is not meant to be the last stop, but meant to be a first step in training and confidence.

No matter a person’s age or ability, Wilson has its community covered. In addition to the above mentioned activities and opportunities, there are fitness classes, a choir, bingo nights and, at the Christmas parade, city leaders also ensured that one block of the route was specially designated for populations that may be sensitive to overstimulating lights and sounds.

None of these incredible opportunities happen without the support of the community, something that Newsome and Pittman both commended.

“We have never stressed about whether we could provide a service because of funding, it has not crossed my mind and that would not be true if it weren’t for our community that we have behind us,” said Newsome.

Pittman added, “When we first started [WhirliDogs], it seemed like a dream. But the community has really come out to support it. I think that’s one of the things that gets overlooked about Wilson, when folks have an opportunity to be inclusive, they’re going to take that opportunity.”