The Jackson, NJ Township's Commission for the Disabled/Handicapped has run a Challenger Sports League soccer team every year, and each season, the Jackson Parks and Rec Department has subjected the team to one of the worst fields available.
The team is made up of disabled students and their non-disabled peers. The Challenger League enables fun-loving students with disabilities to participate in high school sports that they normally would not have to opportunity to try.
Since April, members of the Commission for the Disabled/Handicapped have made numerous visits, sent emails and made phone calls to the Jackson Department of Parks and Recreation asking for the Challenger League to have access to the much safer AstroTurf fields that the other soccer leagues get to use.
Specifically, we asked for the use of the AstroTurf fields one day a week for a practice period of 8 weeks. Everyone we tried to contact about the issue has ignored us.
Today, a young boy on a walker fell face first onto the field when his walker got caught on uneven, wet, muddy grass playing on the grass fields, and it is time that we say "enough!" It is time to tell Mayor Reina and Joe Lynn Zapatta (head of the Jackson Dept. of Parks and Recreation for Jackson Township), that the field use and distribution is unfair!
Here is why:
- The field the Challenger League has been assigned (Field 3) is the farthest field for anyone to walk to from the parking lot. The closest parking spot is 450 feet away and many of our members have mobility issues and use walkers, crutches, wheelchairs or other similar walking assistance devices. The AstroTurf fields are 35 feet or 45 feet from the closest parking lot.
- Field 3 is a natural grass field. When it is wet outside, the field is muddy, wet and it is full of divots. This becomes a hazard for many of our Challenger League members. The Astroturf fields have an even surface, and they dry much faster than natural grass.
- The team that has been using the fields (the Jackson Soccer Club) is a PRIVATE club, while the fields are PUBLIC and owned by the township. The Commission for the Disabled/Handicapped is a township organization, and we should have equal rights to use the public fields.
The Commission for the Disabled/Handicapped is under the direct supervision of the Mayor who has failed to complete any requested services since last April. I have personally spoken to him and sent NUMEROUS emails and have received nothing but blatant stalling and meaningless rhetoric.
We held pour first game on September 6th, and our designated field was not prepared. The grass was not cut and the white lines were not painted on the field. An email into the Dept. Of Parks got the grass cut, but the field lines were still not painted a week later for the next game.
This is an outrage! It is unfair and discriminatory to not provide these children the opportunity to play on the other fields. These kids are just as important as any other group. Please sign the petition and email or write a letter to Mayor Reina and Joey Lynn Zapata, saying that this unfairness is unacceptable!!
Please join us in stating your opinion because it does matter and let your voice be heard! As a group we can make a difference for these children and every special needs member in the community!
Contact information is below:
Mike Reina: mikereina@jacksontwp.net
Joey Lynn Zapata: jzapata@jacksontwp.net
Thank you for caring,
Lou Melograna
Jackson Township Commission for the Disabled/Handicapped Board member
