{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://robinkelly.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/constituent-spotlight-al-and-mary-kay-joens", "Constituent Spotlight: Al and Mary Kay Joens", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Robin Kelly", "K000385", "robinkelly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Couple brings community\u2019s youth back to baseball \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For eight years, Al and Mary Kay Joens lived quietly in the south suburban community of Park Forest. Then they became involved in youth baseball. Today, they can\u2019t go to the grocery store without running into an army of people they know.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe went from being unknown to everybody knowing who we are,\u201d said Al, whose son A.J. joined Park Forest Baseball at the age of five and continues to play at age 12. \u201cI\u2019ll be a part of baseball till the day I take my last breath. I love the kids.\u201d\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mary Kay agrees that the couple\u2019s involvement in baseball was life changing.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s in our blood and we can\u2019t let it go,\u201d she said. \u201cOur life is the baseball field. Where most people take kids to the movies, we take ours to the baseball field. It brings out the kid in you. It\u2019s so enjoyable and we\u2019ve made such great friends. We\u2019ll always be able to look back and have wonderful memories of our time in the league with our son.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Al currently serves as a division director in the Pony Baseball and Softball Association, overseeing more than 700 teams in Wisconsin and Illinois. He even sits on the association\u2019s international board of directors\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Joenses love baseball so much, they even umpire on the side for other associations and leagues. Al umpires both baseball and basketball games throughout the Southland for the Illinois High School Association. Mary Kay umpires for teams within the Greater South Suburban Baseball League, traveling regularly to Country Club Hills, Hazel Crest and Matteson.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Youth baseball has been a tradition in Park Forest since 1951, but during the last decade, the numbers steadily declined. Park Forest Baseball is even the subject of a recent documentary by Mark Kundla, a media producer and adjunct professor of media studies at Governors State University, and vice chairman of Park Forest Baseball.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPark Forest was known for its huge baseball tournaments for many years,\u201d said Mary Kay. \u201cBut now kids have so many choices of activities. But baseball is starting to gain again. We\u2019re making good progress.\u201d\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Park Forest Manager Tom Mick credits the couple for bringing the Village\u2019s youth back to baseball.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAl and Mary Kay Joens are stalwart volunteers in the Park Forest youth baseball organization,\u201d Mick said. \u201cThey have been the leaders of this organization for the past several years and have spearheaded a rebirth of youth baseball in our community. Their volunteer time is seemingly endless in spite of baseball season, which is supposed to run from April to July.\u201d\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The couple also brings the joy of baseball to children who otherwise would not be exposed to the game.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSunday is dedicated to special needs children,\u201d said Al, an account executive with World Data System. \u201cWe invite the kids to Central Park and teach them the skills of baseball and softball, how to catch and throw, bat and run bases. We have a cookout for them. Then we split up the players and play a game.\u201d\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The couple\u2019s dream is to build an indoor baseball training facility for children in the Southland. Its estimated cost of $350,000 doesn\u2019t seem to frighten or discourage them. They\u2019re currently working to raise money and secure a grant.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a big endeavor, but eventually we\u2019ll get there,\u201d Mary Kay said.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To help raise funds, a spaghetti dinner and silent auction are scheduled for May 9, beginning at 5 p.m., at Zion Lutheran Church in Matteson. Some of the impressive prizes include a weekend at Baileys Harbor Yacht Club Resort in Door County, Wisconsin. More information about the fundraiser is at www.parkforestbaseball.org.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Everything the Joenses do seems to go toward the same end: to bring the game of baseball into the lives of young people, in the hope that it will give them as much joy as it has given their family.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re blessed,\u201d said Al. \u201cWe\u2019ll be in baseball for as long as we\u2019re physically able. We\u2019re a baseball family.\u201d\n\u00a0\nAl and Mary Kay Joens with son A.J.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://robinkelly.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/constituent-spotlight-al-and-mary-kay-joens"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7574260234832764, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}