Press Release: Sean & Mandi Casey Named Winners of Ken Wagner Award

Former Pittsburgh Pirate and wife recognized by Emmaus Community
of Pittsburgh for their service, advocacy for people with disabilities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Pittsburgh, PA, March 25, 2019: 

Sean and Mandi Casey have been named as the 2019 winners of the Ken Wagner Award for Outstanding Service. The award will be presented at the Emmaus Kentucky Derby Gala on
May 4, 2019 at the Pittsburgh Westin Hotel.

The Ken Wagner Award is given annually to someone who has demonstrated a life of service, humility, and dedication to helping others. The award is named after the late Emmaus co-founder Ken Wagner, whose commitment to improving the quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities led to the founding of the Emmaus Community in 1989, along with his wife, Lorraine Wagner. The Emmaus Community provides community-based homes and services for people with intellectual disabilities in the Pittsburgh region.

Sean and Mandi Casey were chosen as this year’s winners by a selection committee comprised of community members, members of the Wagner family, and Emmaus staff. According to Emmaus Executive Director Karen Jacobsen, “the committee was inspired by the Caseys’ tireless dedication to the Miracle League of the South Hills, where they serve as President and Vice-President.” The Miracle League is an international organization that strives to “bring the game of baseball to children who may have never had the opportunity to play on a real field. By building a custom-designed field with a cushioned rubberized surface to help prevent injuries, wheelchair accessible dugouts and a completely flat surface to eliminate any barriers to wheel-chair bound or visually impaired players, the field has eliminated the challenges that prevent many children from playing the game of baseball.” Sean Casey is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and Boston Red Sox. He and his wife, Mandi, set out to bring a Miracle League to his hometown in the South Hills in 2008.

Ms. Jacobsen notes, “The Miracle League has played in enormous part in the lives of many Emmaus residents, as well as other children and adults with disabilities in the region. Sean and Mandi made this possible. It brings people with and without disabilities together over a common love—baseball. This sharing of lives speaks to the Emmaus mission, and especially to the life of Ken Wagner, whose vision for people coming together is at the heart of our Community. We’re very excited to present this award. I couldn’t think of two more worthy recipients than Sean and Mandi Casey.”

The Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing permanent homes, respite care, and advocacy to persons with intellectual disabilities in the Pittsburgh region.

Executive Director Karen Jacobsen is available for interviews.  Contact 412-381-0277 or kdjacobsen@emmauspgh.org.# # #