In Gateway, Florida, children from the Lee County Boys and Girls Club in Fort Myers received a unique opportunity on Thursday night at Jet Blue Park. They had the chance to spend time with their admired players from the Boston Red Sox.
Among them was eighth grader Kaliyah Stephens, a member of the Boys and Girls Club of Lee County, who had eagerly anticipated this evening for months. Expressing her gratitude, Stephens remarked, “I never thought I’d have an opportunity like this.”
It was a memorable night as Stephens and her peers interacted with the professional baseball players, shared their appreciation for the Boys and Girls Club, enjoyed dinner together, and even departed with autographed baseballs.
Reflecting on her experience with the major leaguers, Stephens spoke of the valuable lesson she learned about pursuing her aspirations: “Anything that’s important to you, that you want to strive for, you can do it.”
The inspiration wasn’t one-sided; players like Brennan Bernardino also felt moved by the encounter. Bernardino, acknowledging his own journey to the big leagues, encouraged the children to pursue their dreams, whether in baseball or any other field. “Whatever you think you can do, if you put the work in, you can do it as yourself,” he emphasized.
Highlighting the importance of perseverance, Bernardino shared, “The road’s not always easy to get where you want to go…You can do whatever you put your mind to.”
