ASHLAND — A 4-year-old baseball player spent much of the game running from one foul pole to the other.
Reed and Braxton Marsh didn’t mind. They ran with him.
The brothers, Reed, 11, and Braxton, 12, play for the Johnny Appleseed Baseball Club and regularly participate in games with the Savannah Unstoppables.
They took turns staying by the boy’s side, making sure he stayed safe while his mother watched from the stands.
This is the mission for Unstoppable Youth Sports. The organization gives children with disabilities an opportunity to play sports with their peers.
“Our goals are, one, for our kids to have fun, and two, for our parents to be able to sit their butts down and not worry about their kids for an hour,” Savannah Unstoppables head coach Jim Jameson said.
This is the Unstoppables’ third year in Savannah. Through their sponsors and donors, athletes play at no cost and equipment is provided.
The Marsh brothers showed that same kindness again after Reed found an envelope full of cash outside of Buehler’s on Sugarbush Drive. Instead of keeping the money, he and his father contacted law enforcement to help return it to its owner.
The police were able to find the owner of the money, Richard Thomas, who was deeply thankful for Reed’s honesty and gave him a $100 reward from the envelope.
Reed could have spent the reward money on himself, but he chose to give it to the Savannah Unstoppables instead.
His brother, Braxton, followed his lead, matching the donation with $100 from his own savings.
The Marsh brothers’ willingness to volunteer doesn’t go unnoticed by the Unstoppable players and coach.
”Him and his brother Braxton both play on the team and they’re always willing to help out with our kids. They’re always cheering them on,” Jameson said.
The Ashland Police Division later recognized Reed with its R.O.C.K. Award for his honesty and kindness. The program, which stands for “Reach Out Cops and Kids”, honors local youth who go above and beyond in their community.
Joining the baseball team is free, but parents still have to cover photographs. Jameson said the money donated will be put toward team photos and an end of year party.
Jameson said the brothers’ team hasn’t played the Unstoppables in about a year, so he never imagined Reed would think of them when deciding what to do with the reward money.
“That was just crazy to us. We know that they love playing the Unstoppables, but we see him once a year,” Jameson said. “I think that’s just his character, his heart for our kids. A year later, he’s still thinking about us.”
