The East Meadow Challenger League — which provides children with special needs the opportunity to play ball — has been struggling against a persistent opponent: stormwater.
The fields at the East Meadow Ballfield Complex on Merrick Avenue often flood for days after inclement weather, frequently forcing games and practices to be cancelled.
The Challenger League, part of the East Meadow Baseball Softball Association, provides a baseball environment to special needs’ kids who want to experience exciting, friendly and fun competition. The association holds games for almost 400 kids, ranging from age 3 to 17, with game seasons in the spring, summer and autumn.
Almost two years ago, the Semantics, a benevolent organization based in Oceanside that aids groups with fundraising efforts, donated $9,000 to the league to fix the field’s drainage issues.
“No matter what they do (to fix the field), it is very difficult,” Maria Necci, president of Semantics charity, said. “They really need it to be fixed.”
The league needs much more money to prevent flooding long-term with new landscaping. Businesses have offered to redo the field for between $30,000 and $50,000, according to League Director Lee Cook.
One of the fields hit hardest is the Lee Cook Field, named after the director.
“Lee Cook runs the Challenger League for the handicapped and physically challenged children on those fields,” Necci said. “Their games are always played at the Lee Cook Field. That’s the field seems to get the worst damage when it rains.”
Necci was stirred to act to help children deprived of a place to pursue their passion.
“They love being able to play ball, and it’s so sad that those fields are in such disarray,” she said. “Our mantra is ‘benevolence to those less fortunate.’”
Cook has been involved with East Meadow’s baseball and softball organization since 1988, and has made a great effort to keep the league functioning despite the persistent floods. Small fixes have been able to keep the program operational, but signs of wear are beginning to show.
“We’ve only been doing Band-Aid fixes on the field, and whenever it rains, it floods terribly,” Cook said. “Two of our directors came up with this ingenious plan to take a shop-vac, hook it up to two 130-gallon drums, and vacuum up the water off the field. It takes hours. It’s a never-ending battle against nature.”
To help with the potential costs to fix the field’s drainage issues, Necci and Cook, who is also involved with the Semantics organization, have created a fundraiser to pay for as much of the renovations as possible.
The Knights of Columbus, at 78 Hempstead Ave. in Lynbrook, will host the fundraiser free of charge, with complimentary sodas, on Aug. 17 at 2 p.m. Admission to the event is $35 per person, and the Semantics are receptive to additional partnerships, Necci said.
A tournament will be held featuring Left/Right/Center, a popular dice game in which each player starts with three tokens. Players around the table take turns rolling the dice to determine whether they keep their tokens, give a token to another player, or remove it from play. If a player loses all of their tokens, they are eliminated — and the last remaining player is the winner.
The winners of the tournament will receive goodie bags with gift cards and other treats.
Necci’s son, Ben, who’s one of the coaches in the Challenger League, has encouraged members of the community to chip in to the fundraiser.
“You gotta make time to give back to your community, and the more community we get involved, the better it is,” he said. “So we just need help. It’s for the kids in the community.”
The league offers an invaluable outlet for young people to socialize and grow, Ben added. “Kids learn how to, first of all, be a member of a team, how to overcome adversity, how to win and lose the right way,” he explained. “They learn how to be coachable, how to be compassionate — hard work ethic.”
With a new field, the league can continue to fulfill its purpose, he said.
“It’s been there for 75 years … and I would like it to be around for 75 more,” Ben said. “That requires help and requires people to donate their time.”
Challenger League Commissioner Steve LaSala has expressed his wholehearted support for the fundraiser.
“The Left/Right/Center Fundraiser will help with much needed field and complex repairs,” he said in a written statement. “The Semantics have been a loyal and long time supporter of East Meadow’s Challenger program. Their donations have helped support our program by paying for uniforms, equipment and helping offset the ever rising insurance costs.”
To purchase a ticket or to make a direct donation, visit TheSemantics.org. Call (516) 369-2021 for more information.
