In tiny Bells, Texas, located about 70 miles north of downtown Dallas, a baseball masterpiece has been built that is about so much more than baseball. “When people see pictures of it, it’s one thing, but when they pull into the driveway, you see the look on their face like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ a ‘Field of Dreams’ moment where they say, ‘That is a cool place,'” said Stephen Newton. Stephen and Lana Newton’s front yard is a Wiffle ball paradise, which features an almost exact replica of iconic Fenway Park in Boston. “A miniature Fenway seemed really cool,” said Lana Newton. “When you think of an iconic stadium, you have to do it right.” It comes complete with its own Green Monster in left field, seats towering above like the ones you’d see at the home of the Red Sox, and details down to using the exact same paint color on the walls and foul poles – and even the famous Citgo Sign in left field, provided by a friend in Texas who just happened to have an extra one available. “We have had messages from as far away as New Zealand, people saying it’s the coolest thing they’ve ever seen, people saying they are flying in to play whiffle ball in your front yard, ‘Field of Dreams’ father-son moments,” said Stephen Newton. “When I see parents and grandparents with kids, kids hitting home runs over the fence they go crazy, we just had three guys from Boston season ticket holders at the real Fenway, they’re on top of the seats reenacting plays at the real green monster on our fake Green Monster. That was never part of the plan – to build something like that – it’s a special place.” A special place created for a specific purpose. The once-empty land in Bells was dreamed up as the perfect location to give back to high school students in the community, with the Newtons launching a youth Bible study on-site that has now blossomed into a weekly meeting of more than 100 students each week. “Our lives are richer because of this place,” said Lana Newton. “Sometimes you hear the Lord say ‘Do this’ and you doubt, when I see the kids and touch the turf and the Green Monster, I did hear him right. This is confirmation.” Confirmation, and a name for the facility that also confirms the impact made by that decision. “Home Run Ranch, we’ve had 10 different kids live with us, one of the mothers of those kids said, ‘Y’all’s home has always been a home to run to, you should name it Home Run Ranch. Kids run to you for love and grace.’ So that’s where the name came from,” said Lana Newton. Home Run Ranch, a creation built by combining baseball dreams and passion for community – replicating an iconic venue – with a purpose that is about so much more than baseball. “We want to do more of the same. Our mission is to impact high school kids positively. One hundred twenty kids drive here every Sunday,” said Stephen Newton. “We want more people to come out and play the greatest game in a fun, safe environment.” Make the trip to tiny Bells, Texas – Bells, America, as they call it here – and come out and make memories for you and your family. ...read more read less