She has an unlikely name for a superhero. No secret identity, no colorful costume. And, at age ten, 4'7" and 65 pounds, she is rather on the small side for a Jedi Knight, or leaping tall buildings at a single bound. She's never even heard the magic words "Shazam" or "Avengers Assemble!"
But Kerra Rene DeMuro is saving the world, one base at a time. And she's saving it from us. The adults.
The "one base at a time" is not a military base. That's Pentagon territory, and of little interest to K-Girl. Not a secret base. The CIA handles them. Kaptain Kerra fights for more important issues. It is especially not a voter base. This Guardian of the Universe wants absolutely nothing to do with ballots, or referendums, or politics.
DeMighty DeMuro's bases are called first, second, and third, and they are anchored sixty feet apart on a rutty dirt diamond where the evil politicians always strike out. Great Galaxies! "Evil politicians" is a redundancy in Kerraland. This pin-striped Power Ranger is about kids softball, and adults beware - intrude into her world, and It's Clobberin' Time!
SuperKerra is a member of RASA, the year-old Richland Area Softball Association. She is one of about 240 girls, ages 5 to 23, who live and breathe the sport. Because the boys already had all the good fields, they had to use seven different sites throughout the township this year, some in rather poor condition. And even the parents of superheroes could not be in two places at once to watch, or pick up. But RASA may soon have a whole new Field of Dreams.
Batman has his cave, Superman his Fortress of Solitude. WonderKerra is battling for Veterans Park, a proposed $2.5 million facility on East Pumping Station Road that will include four lighted softball fields, two multi-purpose fields, a walking trail, pavilion, concession stand, and other recreational areas.
But Holy Batter-Up, Batman, what makes this park so special? Sure, it will be superherosized, with lights and lots of hoopla, but Great Caesar's Ghost, why do we need an undersized UnderKerra to fight for it?
Why, indeed. Because some adults seem more interested in a political battle than in watching the township's girls play ball. They would allow their differences to shoot down our kids' dreams faster than a speeding bullet.
Richland has over 1100 acres of preserved open space, with more to come. An excellent record, and very politically correct today. But what will we do with all of that open space now that we own it? There is a faction in the township that feels all open space should be deed restricted, and kept in either a natural state or as green belts. And it's hard to argue with the value of these necessary breaks in development.
But others say that the residents, who are providing the millions of taxpayer dollars to buy these lands, should at least have the use of some of them. Everyone agrees that Richland badly needs recreational facilities. It doesn't take a Brainiac to solve this mystery: build the fields on the land we just bought. Cool Beans!
But, Hera Grant Me Strength , the Commonwealth Court told Richland that it could not just go ahead with the obvious. It seems that the township's zoning ordinance regulating open space did not allow for the needed paved parking, or water detention basins, or access roads. Curses, foiled again.
Wonder Twins Powers Activate! The answer is as clear as the Batsignal on a starlit night. Just change the ordinance. Then Kerra, and RASA, can have their park, and Richland can be proud to own one of the biggest and best such facilities this side of Metropolis. Up, Up, and Away!!!
But my spider sense is tingling. It may not be quite as easy as that. Great Wings of Mercury , it wasn't.
It seems that changing the ordinance would also allow the YMCA to build its new community center on open space, and a small group of citizens, including a candidate for supervisor, have been fighting that for years. The Green Goblins of green space were all wound up for another bam-smash-pow Clash of the Titans. Maybe back to court. And the kids were caught in the middle.
Have no fear, UnderKerra is here! Despite the fact that one of the protestors got right in her mother's face, and accused mom of "gutting the township like a fish", Kerra and her RASA friends came to two Board of Supervisors meetings. They spoke to the press. They got an education in the dark side of humanity when some members of the audience actually made fun of them, accusing one girl of showing fake emotion when she teared up.
But they braved the catcalls (great example you set, folks), and addressed the board members. We can think for ourselves. Politics don't matter, sirs. We only want to play softball. Grow up, grownups. Stop using your bats on each other, and put them back in the hands of the players. Girls just wanna have bunts. May the Force-out be with you.
Jupiters! It worked! Just when it looked like the supervisors were going to postpone any action for another two or three months, they suddenly and inexplicably changed their minds and voted unanimously to amend the ordinance! At least temporarily, the way was cleared for construction of Veterans Park. It took three hours, but Gotham was safe. The RASA families, who will be fundraising a Hulk-like $640,000 to add to Richland's $1.9 million contribution, could sleep well.
Just another day in the life of our friendly neighborhood superhero, who was up way past her bedtime. I can't wait for the sequel.