February 3, 201610 yr I've been going to the Twins Midwest League Affiliate for the last 6-7 years. First it was in Beloit, and the last three years have been in Cedar Rapids. When you go to a game in Beloit, you can't help but meet the Pingel family. Jon and his wife Erin are working around the stadium, being friendly to guests, etc. Children Mikaya and Carson can be seen around the stadium too, playing or interacting with the players. I remember talking to them about becoming a host family. They told me that they were initially a little worried about it, leery of what it might entail. But, they finally decided to give it a shot. They ended up with AJ Achter and Ryan O'Rourke, two of the nicest people you will ever meet, and two people who were great with the kids. Fast-forward, both of them have now made the big leagues. I know last September, the Pingel family made their first trip to Target Field and Achter and O'Rourke took care of them, helping them get into a good hotel room and spending a lot of time with them. O'Rourke was at Twins Fest over the weekend. From there, he went back to Beloit. On Tuesday, he surprised both kids in their classrooms at school. He was there to speak at the Snappers Hot Stove event that night, but he spent a lot of time with the kids and their family. Here is a good story from the Beloit newspaper on O'Rourke, his up and down career, and his relationship with his host family. It's a terrific story!
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