Where there is now a barren field, imagine teammates cheering. Where children of special needs now watch from the sidelines, imagine these children as part of a baseball team in their own field of hope. Nick Harris not only imagined this, but also helped make it a reality. Nick organized and founded the Fayette Field of Hope, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. The organization’s mission: build a specially designed, $850K baseball complex for children with developmental and physical disabilities so they can play Little League baseball.

Mission accomplished. Dedicated on October 2, 2004, Fayette Field of Hope now draws over 30,000 special-needs children from seven counties in Georgia. The Field of Hope Complex will also offer community-based instruction opportunities for the school system, training and employing high-school students and young adults to operate the concession stand. Nick's capitol campaign raised the required $850K of in-kind gifts, services, and cash.

A father of a three children, one of whom has Down Syndrome, Nick helped pioneer the Parent Mentor Project for the State of Georgia’s Department of Education Exceptional Student’s Services Division. As a parent-mentor for families with exceptional children, he developed the highly successful Exceptional Children's Week Program to educate public school children and teachers about children with special needs.

Nick has played leadership roles in a number of other special needs-specific organizations: Chair for the State Advisory Panel for Special Education; Chairman for the Commission on Children and Youth; and Vice President for the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta. A sought-after speaker on Special Education and family issues, Nick has helped educate over 500 parents and teachers on special-needs student issues. Yet, Nick never misses a beat raising his three children, aged 12-23. A wonderful dad, a dedicated Army officer for over 22 years, and a true citizen, Nick exemplifies what a community leader is all about.

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