Since the United States opened its doors to this summer’s World Cup, much has been said and written expressing the welcoming and friendliness of Americans to those visitors who poured in here from around the World. In two weeks, our little neck of the woods will be doing the same as “Williamsport welcomes the world” to the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series.

For the fans and families of the twenty teams competing in this year’s Series, it is a memorable whirlwind complete with plenty of thrills and excitement and, for some, the anxiety of finding a place to stay.

For those arriving with campers, a welcoming respite resides not far outside the Little League complex gates at the residence of Jim and Sharon Miller, who have been providing Series homes for visitors for more than fifty years.

“It started in 1975,” Jim Miller explained. “It was my wife, Sharon’s, idea. She went to the people at Little League Headquarters and gave them some paperwork explaining that if they received inquiries regarding the availability of camper campsites, we would have space for them. Word of mouth then got around, and we’ve had campers using our facilities ever since.

“My wife passed away a few years ago. It was something she really enjoyed doing, so I am keeping the tradition going as a tribute to her.

“The number of campers we have each year will vary, but usually we will have four or five families annually. I’ve already received three reservations for this year, and I’m sure I’ll get a few more. I’m looking forward to it. We get some real nice people, and it’s always fun and lively.

“Over the years, there have been six to eight families that have been repeat customers and have come back often. The furthest away came from South Carolina, and they bring with them about the biggest camper you can get. They tow a car behind them, come and go as they please, and enjoy the proximity to the Little League complex. The biggest year we had saw 10 RVs and 100 cars using our property.

“How many customers we get largely depends on where the teams come from. When teams from neighboring states are playing, the number of guests increases. The years that Pennsylvania has a team in the Series, we get lots of folks. Little League does not allow RVs in their parking lots, so we often get guests we didn’t know were coming once they find out we welcome RVs.

“I don’t turn anyone away, but I try to take care of campers before cars. There are many places around the Little League complex where cars are parked. The guards at the Little League entrance gate know I am the only one around here who will park campers, so they will often send them my way. It works out pretty good that way.

“We also get folks who will come and camp out in tents. One such family was a policeman from New York, who first came here years ago with two little kids. As the years passed, he kept coming and coming. Those kids got married, had kids of their own, and their campsite here went from one tent to four.

“When we first started parking campers and cars, the Series was only five days long; now it’s almost two weeks for those folks that stay for the whole thing. It’s a bit hectic at times, but fun, and the time really seems to fly by. I just love to see people have a good time.

“It’s really like one big jamboree. They have cookouts, roast marshmallows, and play games. Last year, one family in a camper invited me for supper. Just when we sat down to eat, a big thunderstorm rolled in. I didn’t know it, but on some of these big campers, when it starts raining, the awning goes up by itself. We were getting wet and scurried inside. I was amazed. Some of those campers are bigger than my home, with big plush chairs and plenty of room.

“When we first started, Sharon would bring in a dumpster for the folks to place their garbage. Now, I’ve found that people don’t want to do that. They want to take care of their own stuff. When they leave, there is very little trace that they’ve been here. They respect the property and are happy they had a convenient place to camp.

“These 51 years have produced a lot of memories, but for me the biggest part of it was watching my wife doing what she did. The last four or five years she did it, she was sick and went around to meet the people in her Jazzie. I miss that, and am continuing to do it for her. It was something she really enjoyed, and I will keep on going as long as I can.”