METUCHEN — Twenty years ago, through the impetus of Robert and Christine Donohue, a Buddy Ball program was born.
“The idea of Buddy Ball started with my experience coaching my own three daughters,” Robert said. “I knew that my girls enjoyed playing soccer and softball with their friends and I wanted to provide a similar experience for children with disabilities.”
The Borough Council recognized Robert and Christine Donohue for their work with the Buddy Ball program at a meeting on Sept. 4. The Donohues are passing the reigns to former Councilwoman Sheri-Rose Rubin and her husband.
Robert, who has a psychology practice in the borough, said before there was a Buddy Ball program, Metuchen was in the forefront of educating students with disabilities due to the vision and dedication of the previous Schools Superintendent Terri Sinatra.
“She was committed to having children with disabilities study alongside their typical developing peers whenever possible,” he said. “Chris and I believe, like as Terri did, that despite some obvious differences, kids are just kids [and they are] more alike than different. Buddy Ball is simply an extension of [Terri’s] efforts to bring children with disabilities into the mainstream of the community.”
Robert said be believes Buddy Ball’s most significant contribution to the community is the relationships forged between player and buddy.
“[These relationships] might not otherwise have been developed,” he said. “Buddies and players now can see themselves and each other with a new and hopefully broader perspective.”
Christine, who has been an elementary teacher at Moss Elementary School and Campbell Elementary School for 21 years, said the Buddy Ball program was a joy for her family as it was for the players, buddies and their families as they came together every Sunday night.
“It was also wonderful each season to see the kids and players come back, see them grow up, learn new things, see them suddenly talk a little more and move a little better,” she said. “It was also wonderful to see the buddies come back each semester and greet the players and just be so excited to see each other. For me as a teacher it was a joy to watch the children who I had taught as little kids become young adults.”
Mayor Jonathan Busch read and presented a proclamation for the Donohues at the meeting. The Donohues established the Buddy Ball program in conjunction with Metuchen Little League in spring 1998. The program, which offered baseball and softball and later soccer, met at the field at Oakland Park for three years and then the program met at the level playing fields at Roosevelt Park in Edison.
The program also received support from the Metuchen Soccer Association, Metuchen Recreation Department and Middlesex County Parks Department.
“Buddy Ball has served over 100 special needs athletes in the Metuchen area ages 5 to 23 giving a team to call their own,” Busch read, adding the program gave the kids the opportunity to participate in sports just like their siblings and classmates. “Through the 20 years, there have been over 400 volunteers referred to as buddies, including the Donahues’ three daughters.”
The program also gave the athletes with special needs the opportunity to develop communication skills, build confidence, enjoy the outdoors and build friendships.
At the meeting Sheri-Rose Rubin, who chairs the Accessibility Committee, presented the Donohues with the committee’s Shout Out for Inclusion (SOFI) award.
“This is a new award that we started to present this year for organizations and businesses, who have shown an exemplary effort to be inclusive,” she said. “There’s nothing more inclusive than the Buddy Ball program bringing families with disabilities together with teens in the community. It’s really a model for other programs.”
Rubin also shared her son participated in the program.
“One of his favorite things was having teenagers as friends,” she said, adding her daughter was a buddy in the program.
Larry Weiss, president of Metuchen Baseball and Softball, presented the Donohues with the organization’s distinguished service awards. Metuchen High School Principal Bruce Peragallo, who volunteered his time along with his kids in the Buddy Ball program, said he will present the Donohues with customized Metuchen High blue jackets.
“As high school principal, we strongly encourage students to get involved in our community,” Peragallo said. “Buddy Ball allowed our students to volunteer, learn and support the efforts of such a fine program.”
Robert said the program wouldn’t be as successful as it would have been without the likes of Councilman Ron Grayzel, the many coaches, volunteers, and parents.
“Together we made it a success that it is,” he said.