After the Philadelphia Phillies traded pitcher Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers, he and his wife Heidi never moved into their dream home. Instead, they will donate the home and the 100 acres on which it sits to Camp Barnabas. This Summer, the four-time All-Star, and 2008 World Series MVP approached the ministry, which provides camps for children with disabilities and their siblings as well as a two-year faith-based collegiate program that serves young adults, about making the substantial donation.
The home, located near Table Rock Lake in southwest Missouri, was recently listed for over $9 million. Camp Barnabas has never received a donation this large and their board is still working on the best possible way to use the property. At a Tuesday news conference, Camp Barnabas CEO Jason Brawner addressed this, saying, "We have no intention of utilizing this property as a summer camp. Outside this, all possibilities for the future of this property, as they relate to our mission, are under consideration. The Barnabas Foundation, along with our board of directions, has no intention of selling the property in the immediate future. This will give us ample time to determine how it can best be used to further the ministry of Barnabas."
In a recent statement, Hamels addressed why he wanted to make the donation to Camp Barnabas. “Seeing the faces, hearing the laughter, reading the stories of the kids they serve; there is truly nothing like it. Barnabas makes dreams come true, and we felt called to help them in a big way." He said they love southwest Missouri and hoped to make it their home, but now, “A piece of us will always be in the area, but with a new legacy and vision."
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Publication date: December 20, 2017
