No place like home
CENTER TWP — When Jake Kennedy and Dalton Hoiles came to Butler, they expected to find a place to hone their baseball skills.
They didn't expect to find a grandmother.
The pair has found the latter and much more this Butler BlueSox season while staying with their unique host family — the Newhaven Court at Clearview, a senior living and memory care community.
“We had interest in serving as a host family last season, but we came on board too late and all of those spots were filled,” Newhaven Court Executive Director Gary Renwick said. “We came back this year and they (BlueSox) thought it'd be a good idea.
“They placed Jake and Dalton with us and the results have been fantastic.”
Kennedy and Hoiles both play baseball for Shippensburg University. Both are in their first seasons with the BlueSox.
Kennedy played in a collegiate league in Virginia last summer and stayed with a host family. Hoiles is in a host family program for the first time.
The median age of Newhaven Court residents is 83. Only two residents are around 60 and the eldest is 102.
“This is different,” Kennedy said. “When we heard where we'd be staying, we weren't sure what to expect coming into it.
“Assisted living? How is this going to work out? We went into this whole thing pretty blind.”
But they've seen a whole new world.
The two share a single room with a sink and a refrigerator. They are free to receive the same three meals a day the residents get and they've dined with them often.
The only other resident living near them in their section at Newhaven is Adele Berman.
“I sort of took them under my wing, became like a mother hen,” Berman said, smiling. “I refer to them as my boys. I'm 87, I have every right to call them that.
“I always tell them if they ever need anything, I would take care of it. But they're pretty self-sufficient. When the bulletin of activities comes out, I make sure they get one.”
One of the activities on that bulletin is bingo.And Berman made sure they participated.“I told them we play bingo and they better be there,” she said.They were.“It was fun,” Kennedy said. “We didn't win, though. They're too good.”Despite the road trips, practices and workouts with the BlueSox, Kennedy and Hoiles have taken time to get to know their new neighbors.“I'm grateful for the efforts they've made to fit in with us,” Berman said. “I went to a game this year with a bunch of other seniors, got to go on the field and meet all the players.“Those two boys ran over to me, gave me a hug and a kiss ... That meant everything to me.”A Butler BlueSox display is prominently located in the main lobby of Newhaven Court. The batting averages, hit and RBI totals of Kenny and Hoiles are tracked and updated daily as part of that display.“I have trouble seeing now, but the other residents tell me about the boys' progress each day and I appreciate that,” resident Jack Arthurs said. “I've followed the BlueSox since they came to Butler.“Having these young people involved with us is a good thing.”Hoiles described the BlueSox display in the lobby as “an awesome thing.”“They pay attention to us,” he said. “We feel wanted there. We feel important there. They truly care.“I've talked to some of them about baseball. I've heard of the history here and the Butler Yankees. Some of them have told me about the days and years they played. Baseball can be bonding. We've made good relationships.”Charles Stock is one of those residents who has chatted baseball with the boys.“These guys are trying to get to the major leagues,” Stock exclaimed. “We're pulling for them. I'll try to keep following them after they leave here ... because I like them.“They are very friendly. You can talk to them — and they listen.”Melitta Garbuny, a Newhaven resident and retired Pittsburgh school teacher, welcomed the arrival of the ballplayers.“I'm so glad to see a young face,” Garbuny said. “It's a good idea these young people become part of our community. They're used to living in college dorms. This is somewhat like that.
“Only now they're dealing with a group of people they may never want to belong to. You never think of yourself of being old, of being in assisted living. These boys have added to the atmosphere. It makes us feel better.“Having those kids here ... We feel like we're part of the team now,” Garbuny added.Hoiles said he feels privileged that the players' staying at Newhaven are making a positive impact there.“This summer isn't all about baseball. It's about heart and friendship,” he said.“We're talking about two totally different generations here,” Stock said. “Us older folks, we can learn from the new generation. Hopefully, they're learning from us, too.”Larry Sassone, one of the BlueSox co-owners, is in charge of the team's host family program.“There are 11 other teams and we all have host family programs,” Sassone said in a statement. “When I go to the league meetings, this might be another alternative for other teams that are struggling to find host families.“We could be setting a precedent for the league this year.”
