If it is an occupational hazard, then perhaps the word “hazard” needs to take on a new meaning. At least it does in the case involving Johnson Elementary School teacher MaryJo DeMarco Bastin.

 

Bastin, beginning her fifth year as a pre-school special needs teacher at JES, has this little habit of doing things away from her workplace that involves children from her workplace. And part of her involvement with special needs children even predates her time as an educator.

 

That love for her students and all special needs children created something unique that just wrapped up her in Bridgeport. Bastin headed up the first-ever Challenger Vacation Bible School Food Truck Party at All Saints Catholic Church.

 

“We definitely want to make this an annual event,” said Bastin.

 

As some may have suspected, the VBS was a result of Bastin’s involvement locally with the Bridgeport Challenger League division of Little League baseball geared for special needs youth. However, Bastin’s Challenger involvement goes a step further.

 

Bastin runs the Jeff Wetzel Challenger Basketball and Soccer Leagues. The leagues offer sports in the same format as Challenger Baseball and are named in honor of Wetzel, who Bastin said passed away in 2014.

 

“I started with the league when I was just out of high school,” said Bastin, who graduated from Lincoln High School in 2012. “Jeff (Wetzel) went to Challenger Baseball and jumped on board, and we got started and the leagues were created. I got to know the kids, and I got to know (Challenger Baseball League founders) Mike and Kim Martin and help out and I just fell in love with the children.”

 

As it turned out, the love for special needs children merged perfectly with a passion in her family – teaching. While she was sure early on in her professional future thought process, she wanted to be an educator, she was not sure what field.

 

“After being involved with Jeff in the Challenger Leagues right out of high school, I knew this was the route I wanted to take. I just fell in love with those children and that prompted what is now my love for my job,” said Bastin. “I felt an attachment with those children immediately.”

 

The attachment, if it is not already clear, goes beyond the classroom. Her latest venture proves that.

 

Here is the unique thing about the latest venture. The thought of having a Vacation Bible School centered around the Challenger players and special needs children formed less than a month ago.

 

“I think the planning started three weeks ago,” said Bastin on Monday. “We had kids ages three through 30 take part with about 25 students during the three days we held. I would say about 30 total took part in at least one day.”

 

What prompted the VBS? It was the recent loss of young Ivan Gonzalez, a beloved 7-year-old who was a member of the Bridgeport Challenger League Baseball program. Ivan passed on July 19.

 

“We’ve lost players before and we lost our little Ivan. I felt all of us involved needed time together, family time together because our hearts were aching,” she said. “When we can get the kids together, they can have fun no matter the age. Being a religious person from a religious family, I thought maybe some of our players haven’t been to Bible School. I figured everyone deserves the chance to take part, even if they already have taken part.”

 

So, how did it turn out?

 

“They loved it. I did three nights, and I could have done three more and it wouldn’t have been enough because they just loved being there,” said Bastin.

 

The children got the full impact of a Vacation Bible School. Bastin said there were crafts and games, Bible stories and, as the name of the camp early on suggests, food every night.

 

“We had so much help and community involvement. Lisa and Andy Lang donated food for two nights and Kim and Mike Martin donated Lizzy’s Shaved Ice truck one night too. East of Chicago Pizza also donated,” said Bastin. “It was so well received and so many readily helped, which made it even more special.”

 

Knowing how much it was enjoyed has pushed Bastin into making it take place each year. She said there will be much more advance planning – and attempts to get more notice and attendance – in upcoming years.

 

“When you have a few weeks, no more than a month tops, it made things a little chaotic,” she said. “It was worth it.”

 

The reason it was worth it according to the 2015 Fairmont State University graduate and 2017 West Virginia University master’s degree in special education owner:

 

“Those smiles. That’s all I need. Some of the kids aren’t able to communicate verbally, but their smiles say it all,” she said. “Even better is when my phone comes on in the evening the majority of the messages are from those children. It may be as simple as ‘how am I doing,’ but it makes every bit of this worthwhile, and why I’ll keep teaching and keep trying to be involved with programs like Vacation Bible School. They’re worth every second.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows MaryJo Bastin at the Vacation Bible School, while some of the activities are shown in the next two photos.