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'Experience of a lifetime': Jays playoff game to host special group

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It will be an experience of a lifetime, for a group of young girls learning the game of baseball — but it hasn’t been an easy road.

High Park Public School in Sarnia, Ont. started a ‘Girls at Bat’ program in March. It’s an affiliation with the Toronto Blue Jays care foundation to promote the game across the country.

“I was hoping to have a dozen or so girls show up and want to participate and I had over 30,” said Kelly-Anne Lemieux, program coach and teacher at High Park.

Speaking with CTV News via zoom, Grade 7 student Sofia Oliveira said, “When I started I had never played baseball in my entire life, but U think I learned a lot.”

“I learned how to hit an actual baseball with a baseball bat, which was a new experience, which was really cool,” added student Kydence Holmes.

Last week the team found out they had been offered a luxury box for the first game of the Jays playoff series which starts Friday

“I was so excited, I couldn’t even speak that’s how excited I was,“ said Grade 6 student Ellen George.

Then Wednesday afternoon, Lemieux received word there was a mix up and the offer would be rescinded.

“They were very apologetic and said ‘we got trigger happy’ we were excited to have you guys come and found out at the last minute that we don’t actually access to that box,” said Lemieux.

She instead of lamenting the loss and took to social media at the same time the jays care foundation was also trying to rectify the problem.

“While we were working social media, they were working the phones and jays care was able to secure a box for these girls in the end,” added Lemieux.

And now, Friday’s trip is back on and the girls, many who have never been to a baseball game before, will take in game 1 of the jays/mariners wild card series.

“It’s pretty exciting, I’m afraid I might need some earphones for the bus ride there,” said Lemieux. 

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