Before settling in Dublin, Terry Lyden moved to Columbus from Youngstown in 1983 to attend Capital University Law School. He was relatively unknown at the time.
But after establishing himself in the community and putting his best foot forward, in 2004, Lyden went on to start the Miracle League of Central Ohio with the goal of raising funds to build a baseball field for children with mental and physical disabilities.
Dublin Life: How did you come to live in Dublin?
Terry Lyden: When I was younger, I lived Downtown. But I decided to move to Dublin because it’s such a nice community. My first exposure to Dublin was to come up to watch the Memorial Tournament.
DL: When you were just starting to get involved, how did you approach the community with the idea of the Miracle League? Was it hard to earn credibility as a newcomer?
TL: The first time I reached out to the community about this concept, I met with Mayor Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher and Fred Hahn. They had no idea who I was, and I did not know them. But the stars lined up. Duke Realty was looking for a project to support the community, and I showed up with this project. This worked out for everybody.
DL: How did the idea for the Miracle League of Central Ohio originate?
TL: In 2001, I had just sold my business. I watched an episode of Real Sports. They did this piece on the Miracle League, and it was very moving. I thought, “I should do that.” Later, I saw an updated piece on the Miracle League and said, “I’m going to really do this.” A week later, I met with the City of Dublin about land.
DL: There are many organizations out there that benefit people living with special needs. What inspired you to bring one to town?
TL: I’m a sports fan. Unfortunately, children with disabilities don’t get to interact with other children as often as able-bodied children do. This gave them the opportunity to do that. The parents get to see their kids do something they thought they would never get a chance to see. Emotionally, it impacts everyone who’s involved.
DL: You were honored as a Jefferson Awards winner in Washington, D.C. How did you react when you heard this news?
TL: I’d never heard of the award until they called me up and said, “You are a winner.” My wife had to explain to me that it was a prestigious award. There was a luncheon in Columbus, and one of the winners was able to go to D.C. I was selected, and when I was there with all the festivities, it dawned on me that this was a pretty big deal.
DL: You’re now one of the founders of Utility Revenue Services. What’s next for you?
TL: Since 2007, I’ve been a part of URS. Although my office is here, most of my clients are East Coast or West Coast. Now, I’m involved in Canine Collective. They rescue dogs and work on finding them good homes.
DL: Is there anything you consider to be your most impressive accomplishment?
TL: In retrospect, I know this is a project the City is very proud of. I’ll acknowledge my name is associated with it, but there were so many people who were responsible for this and making the experience for the kids a positive one. People like David Abood, Matt Bruening, Christy Henegan, Joe Fox, the hundreds of volunteers and so many community donors. They’re the ones who should get the credit for how successful the league is. Also, the City supported this thing 1,000 percent, and without their support, it would’ve been very difficult to build such a great facility.
Hannah Bealer is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
