Take Me Out to the Ballgame

True baseball fans don’t believe spring has arrived until they hear the crack of a bat and feel the warmth of the sun at the ballpark.

Crossroads Hospice patient Barbara Weber is one of those true baseball fans.

Originally from Colorado, one of Barbara’s favorite pastimes was going to see the minor league team for her region.

Barbara relocated to Memphis, TN, and with the move, she stopped going to minor league games. Although she settled into life in Tennessee, there was a void in her life without those baseball games.

When Crossroads Social Worker Tori Freeman learned about Barbara’s passion for baseball, she immediately saw the opportunity for her be a recipient of the Gift of a Day program. The Gift of the Day program is a special Crossroads program where a patient’s perfect day is made into a reality.

With Barbara’s memories of baseball diamonds and Cracker Jacks in mind, Tori, along with other Crossroads staff members, arranged for a day at the baseball park to watch a Memphis Redbirds game.

Once they arrived at the game, Barbara felt right at home and wanted to get into the swing of things. “We got a hot dog and a Coke right away,” says Tori, “because she said you can’t go to a baseball game without getting a hot dog.”

The rest of the day was perfect for Barbara: the sun was shining, the Redbirds mascot greeted her and best of all, the Redbirds won, four to one.

Revisiting one of her favorite pastimes was rejuvenating for Barbara. “Barbara had more energy than we did,” Tori says. “The day out really renewed her spirit.”

Thanks to the efforts of Tori, the Crossroads team and the Redbirds staff, Barbara’s Gift of a Day was a home run.