Ozzie Guillen hosts Easter Seals family at Sox spring training
by Maurice
Remember the blog post I wrote about White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen offering the Martin family to accompany him and other Sox players for a week at spring training in Arizona in 2010? Well, this is the week! The Martins are in Arizona right now! Here are some details from a White Sox press release:
Guillen will host Pete and Margaret Martin, along with their son Noah (age 10) and daughter, Hannah (age 8), from March 14-18. Noah and Hannah are both students at the Easter Seals Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research. Noah was serving as a child ambassador for Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago (ESMC) at the organization’s annual Gala where he met Guillen, who then invited Noah and the whole Martin family to Arizona.
A complimentary rental car, along with generous gift bags, will be provided to the Martin family courtesy of Avis, a corporate partner of the White Sox. Complimentary lodging will be provided by the Wigwam Resort in Glendale.
While in Arizona, Guillen has invited the Martins to the White Sox game on March 15 vs. Kansas City. They also will receive a special behind-the-scenes tour of the White Sox facilities and have a special meet-and greet with Guillen and the team.
Guillen has been very active with ESMC the past three years, having visited the school on several occasions, accepting the 2008 Corporate Award on behalf of the White Sox organization, and joining the Board of Directors in 2009.
When I first heard of Ozzie joining the Board of Directors, my jaw dropped. I am a lifelong Sox fan, and it was a good feeling for Ozzie to be involved in Easter Seals services in the Chicago area because he truly cares about the individuals living with autism. Whenever he and the White Sox organization visit the Therapeutic School, his first priority would be to see the children in the different classrooms because he has a huge heart for people with autism and believes they can make a huge impact in life successfully.
When I first met the Martin Family at Easter Seals, they were determined for their son, Noah to live a normal life. Like me, Noah was rolled up like a ball in a corner when he first attended the Therapeutic School. Everything was difficult for Noah in the beginning, being non-verbal in the beginning and struggling to adapt, which reminded me of my frustrating days entering the Therapeutic School.
As of right now, Noah is doing well in many different services and he is a shining star to the different students and staff. I couldn’t be happier for the Martin Family. Martin Family, if you’re reading this blog, I wish you all a nice trip and I know you’ll have fun out there. Be sure to get a lot of sun and autographs!