Kennedy, Mepham go to bat for vets

Kennedy and Mepham high schools recently went to bat for veterans. Students played in a baseball game on April 10 that doubled as a charity fund-raiser for a nonprofit organization that supports military personnel and their families.

The non-league game, which Kennedy won 9-0, was played at the SUNY Farmingdale Baseball Complex. Hundreds of Bellmore-Merrick residents came to take in the game and raise funds for Hope For The Warriors.

Hope For The Warriors provides comprehensive support programs for service members, veterans and military families that are focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement and connections to community resources. All Hope For The Warriors programs serve post-9/11, active duty, National Guard and reserve service members and veterans from all branches of the military, according to the nonprofit group. Programs also support the entire military family, families of the fallen and military caregivers.

Eric Passman and Bill Murphy, Kennedy and Mepham’s respective baseball coaches, organized the charity event and welcomed two veterans to the field for a special pre-game ceremony.

U.S. Army Spc. Bryan Dilberian, a triple amputee who was injured in Afghanistan, threw out one of the first pitches of the game. Veteran Steve Thomas tossed another ceremonial pitch alongside his service dog, Cali.

Dozens of fans cheered on their teams, which were clad in military camouflage-style uniforms for the occasion. They either made a donation at the gate or purchased a special shirt for $15, with proceeds going to the charity. Whether the T-shirt was in Mepham garnet or Kennedy green, a message emblazoned across the front read, “Kennedy-Mepham salutes our heroes.”