Ten kids from Illinois and Iowa had no idea they were going to meet one of the best pitchers in baseball when they got home from school that Friday. But that all changed when Compass to Care’s leadership found out that Jon Lester of the Chicago Cubs had ten extra tickets for the Monday night game – and he wanted us to come.
Our founder, Michelle Ernsdorff-May, spent the weekend frantically calling every Compass to Care family she could think of that might be able to get to the game. This was no easy task. Some kids traveled over six hours that day to make it to Wrigley in time to meet the 6 foot 4 lefty.
The Cubs organization treated our kids like VIPs from the moment they stepped off Waveland Avenue and into the Friendly Confines. While waiting in the entrance for our tour guides, everyone was able to take pictures with the gleaming trophy case. The kids were given one duffel bag each, complete with a baseball and other assorted goodies. Jaws dropped among kids and parents alike when they caught a glimpse of Javier Baez slipping through security and into the building. But the fun had only just begun.
We were led down to the field by some of the Cubs’ amazing Development team. From there, we could watch the Cincinnati Reds conduct batting practice and other warm-ups. A dense, magical fog descended on Wrigleyville, lathering the tall buildings beyond the bleachers in a white foam. The ivy was lush and green on the brick outfield wall. Everyone from Compass to Care felt like we were lucky visitors to a castle in the clouds where giants lived.
After filing into the Cubs’ dugout on the 3rd base line, we reached the most highly anticipated moment of the trip: the chance to meet the Jon Lester, the Cub and World Series Champion. Jon introduced himself to each of our kids individually. One young lady talked to Jon about his own experience as a survivor of Leukemia. After saying hello, pictures were taken and baseballs were signed until the pitcher had to get back to preparations for a night at the ballpark. The group left the dugout in a daze, saying to one another “can you believe that just happened?”
For the next chapter of this adventure our families were treated to unforgettable seats in shallow right field. Willson Contreras stopped by to say hello to young fans. Foul balls whizzed by overhead, though thankfully not hitting any of us. There were hot dogs and peanuts and home runs. On top of all the once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the Cubs clobbered the Reds 8-2. Considering the losing streak that would begin only the next day and knock them out of playoff contention, one can’t help but wonder if our kids acted as a kind of lucky charm. In that case, we hope the Cubs are as anxious to see us again as we are to see them. Thank you Jon Lester, Senior Manager of Cubs Charities Programs Jennifer Dedes-Nowak, and Manager of Player-Alumni Relations Jeff Magree for providing this beautiful experience for our kids.