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Fair Youth football league raises breast cancer awareness
Sports
The Rams, a youth football team in the Nassau County Police Activity League, were decked out in a wide assortment of Breast Cancer Awareness accessories, including pink shoelaces, a “For A Cure Ribbon” helmet sticker and pink socks.
More than 100 youth league and East Meadow High School varsity cheerleaders were also on hand to celebrate the event, which was the fifth annual homecoming for the Rams’ football squad. The cheerleaders, which assisted in the donation collection process, wore pink bows in their hair and handed out pink streamers to support breast cancer awareness.
Four games were played over the course of the day, and hardworking volunteers continued to roam the crowd collecting donations for the American Cancer Society well into the late afternoon.
“I collected 140 dollars in 30 minutes,” said East Meadow resident and Rams football parent Lisa Parelli. Although the visiting Rosedale Jets jumped out to a 21-0 lead over the Rams by halftime, East Meadow’s players, coaches, parents and PAL board members were happy to spend a day of fun in the sun while playing sports and raising money for a good cause.
“Basically what we do today is we have a little homecoming,” said East Meadow PAL representative John Spirou. “We collect donations, and also make some purchases. We also feed every team that comes here today, even the visiting teams. At the end of the game, each kid gets something to eat and drink.” Spirou added that the Rams had excellent field conditions to play on because the East Meadow PAL donated funds over the past year to sod the football fields at both Clarke and East Meadow High Schools.
The Nassau County Police Activity League, a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization, has been helping charitable causes and preventing juvenile delinquency through sports since 1940. “We have basketball, football, lacrosse, bowling and track,” added Spirou. The East Meadow PAL is one of 30 NCPAL units, and is operated by a board that includes Spirou, President Frank Mazza and dozens of volunteers.
East Meadow PAL Vice President Steven J. Love, who also works for the Metropolitian Recycling company, brought a pink Breast Cancer Awareness garbage truck to the high school for the special event. The truck, which was parked in front of the school for the duration of the homecoming festivities, featured a special For the Cure ribbon graphic along it’s sides.
