Newsmaker: Mike Sherry

Residence: Cranberry

Age: 48

Family: Wife, Chris; son, Tanner, 10; daughter, Jordan, 7

Education: Bachelor's degree in English, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Occupation: Director of marketing and development for the Woodlands Foundation

Noteworthy: The Chamber of Commerce of Cranberry and North Hills, and the Cranberry Township Community Chest have named Sherry as Citizen of the Year. Sherry was honored for creating the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania. After viewing a Miracle League baseball ballpark in Alabama, Sherry decided to bring the concept home. He thought the league could help children who have special needs. His daughter suffers from autism. Every child in two of the leagues gets to bat each inning, gets to have a hit and gets to reach home plate. The games all end in ties. A third league is for players who want to play in a more competitive setting. Sherry went door to door to raise funds for the league, receiving the biggest contribution from Pittsburgh Pirates Charities.

Quote: "All this means is that I can give children and adults with special needs the chance to play America's game, which is baseball."