An Unforgettable Day of Community and Inclusion

By Tanya Buresh-Werby, Assistant Director of Friendship Circle of Virginia

The Friendship Circle of Virginia (FCVA) proudly hosted its 4th Annual Disability Inclusion Day at The Diamond on Sunday, June 29, in partnership with the Richmond Flying Squirrels and presented by Fas Mart. 

Despite the heat, there were 6659 fans in attendance!

Attendees were treated to several memorable moments throughout the day, including appearances by Richmond Mayor Dr. Danny Avula, State Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg as well as a welcome video from Governor Glenn Youngkin.  

The Senator and Mayor stayed to meet with fans and families and enjoyed kosher hot dogs and knishes from the Friendship Circle kosher food stand!  

There was also a moving performance of the national anthem by George Dennehy, a renowned musician born without arms who plays guitar with his feet. Their presence underscored the importance of creating inclusive opportunities where everyone belongs.

“What an incredible day at the Diamond for the 4th Annual Disability Inclusion day!
It was an honor to speak alongside Senator @schuylervanvalkenburg and to meet so many wonderful families who joined today’s special event.

“Big thanks to the Friendship Circle of Virginia and the Richmond Flying Squirrels for making this afternoon come to life and your continued efforts in building a more inclusive community for all here in Richmond.” – Mayor Avula

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, FCVA distributed over 10,000 free tickets to the Greater Richmond area. Presenting Sponsor Fas Mart was joined by a diverse list of generous sponsors, including Allianz Partners, Capital One, Dominion Care, Genworth, Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, Markel, Rudlin Torah Academy, The UPS Store at Gayton Crossing, and QTS Data Centers.  Additional sponsors include Sentara and Dominion Energy.

The Richmond Flying Squirrels played a vital role in making Disability Inclusion Day at The Diamond a meaningful and successful event. Their flexibility and dedication to accommodating the diverse needs of the community, especially around inclusive seating, helped ensure that every guest felt welcome and valued.

Blaine McCormick of the Richmond Flying Squirrels shared, “When I walk around the ballpark, I see so many smiles from all the people in attendance. This might be the only game some of these families attend at The Diamond, and we want to make sure it’s the best experience possible for them.”

The sensory zone returned as a cornerstone of the event, offering hands-on activities for a range of abilities, including interactive robots from Atlee Robotics, Legos from Bricks and Minifigs, experiments with Mad Science, fine and gross motor activities, lower speaker volume, and more. 

In addition, this year’s event featured an expanded list of accessible suites, thanks to the generous companies that donated them to the event. The event prioritized accessibility by providing ASL interpreters from Mosaic Interpreting Services, closed captioning, and audio description courtesy of Virginia Voice. 

A designated nut-free suite and nut-free general admission section were available, and in a unique move to ensure a safe experience for attendees with allergies, peanuts and Cracker Jacks were not sold during the game.

The day was also made possible thanks to the over 70 volunteers who showed up to support every corner of the event from fan check-in and seating assistance, to sensory zones and suites, ensuring that every detail was covered with care and inclusion in mind.

“Inclusion Day at the Diamond is my favorite event that SLN Cares volunteers with. It is an incredible day that is filled with baseball and happiness” – Adam Shor

“Disability Inclusion Day continues to earn widespread praise from participants and organizations.” An adult woman shared:

"This is the first time since 2018 I have been to a baseball game at the Diamond. I usually cannot go out on my own, but this time my caregiver was able to join me. I haven't had this much fun in years! Thank you Friendship Circle for all you do!" - Stephanie

Additional comments made by parents:

"It was a wonderful experience. We were so thankful to be in a suite due to the heat. Thank you for all the hard work that went into making today happen. Papa and Matthew sat beside each other and had a great time. Papa thanked me for bringing him, and Grandma said she was glad she got to go too. We had the chance to talk with another family who came in halfway through the game. We exchanged stories and felt encouraged by their experiences. Their child was a few years older than Matthew. It was a great day!" – Crystal

As the crowd cheered and families headed home with smiles, it was clear that Disability Inclusion Day is not just about baseball. It’s about building an inclusive community, one friendship at a time.

Visit FCVA.org to learn more about how Friendship Circle facilitates friendships and social opportunities for people with and without disabilities via their free programs enriching lives and building an inclusive community one friendship at a time. Please consider joining our monthly giving circle to help support this nonprofit and the important work they are doing in our community.  friendshipcircleva.org/donate