Good will on opening day in Rockville Centre

Season 61 of the Rockville Centre Little League kicked off in grand fashion on April 2, as the league’s annual parade began in front of South Side Middle School where teams, coaches, spectators and dignitaries lined up to celebrate another season of baseball.

But this year, before the start of the parade shortly after noon, the league ran a food drive, encouraging players and their families to bring non-perishible items for the St. Agnes Parish Outreach Center and Central Synagogue. Among the items collected were pasta, cereal and soup. Little League President Tom Bucaria said that the league collected 2,100 items within 35 minutes.

“With all the all the earthquakes, war and suffering in the world today, we thought it was important to take the opportunity to help some small segment of those in need,” Bucaria said. “Little league is certainly not only about playing and winning.”

After the collection, the games began. Past president Bob Tolan threw out the first pitch of the season after the parade reached Hickey Field. The new season officially started with opening day games between American and National League teams.