Wednesday, January 15, 2025
The second annual Play 4 Mary weekend at St. Agnes Cathedral School raised $5,400 for the Mary Ruchalski Foundation, uniting more than 250 young athletes and their families for three days of basketball, community, and fundraising.
The event, held from Nov. 21-24, featured 19 Catholic Youth Organization games with players from eight schools. Funds were raised through bake sales, merchandise sales, and a 50/50 raffle, with proceeds supporting families battling pediatric cancer.
The weekend began Thursday night with a poster night at the St. Agnes Parish Center. “The girls decorated posters to be displayed in the gym,” said Brie Ellwood, who organized the event with her husband, Brian.
“A lot of players worked the bake sale with their teammates,” Ellwood said. “It brought everyone together, which is especially nice before the holidays.” Teams of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade girls all signed up for slots to help run the bake sale.
Games began Friday evening and continued through Sunday night. Before each game, players read Mary’s story to highlight the event’s purpose. “Each team read our Play 4 Mary speech before their game, explaining what Play 4 Mary is all about and telling Mary’s story,” said Carol Ruchalski, Mary’s mother and founder of the foundation.
“The weekend was great!” Ruchalski said. “We had over 250 girls participate in games all weekend and over eight schools involved. It was a beautiful weekend raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer.”
The Mary Ruchalski Foundation was created in honor of Mary Ruchalski, who passed away in 2018 from rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of pediatric cancer. The foundation raises funds for pediatric cancer research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and supports families facing financial challenges.
Ellwood noted that this year’s funds will go to help a family whose daughter is undergoing her fourth round of chemotherapy. The foundation was contacted directly by the family’s insurance provider, highlighting the immediate impact of the fundraising efforts.
The Play 4 Mary campaign was launched in 2020 to combine Mary’s love for sports with charitable efforts. “Kids do some kind of charity work in conjunction with being on a team,” Ellwood said. “The premise is to have kids involved in something—not just parents writing a check.”
The week concluded with a fundraiser at the Tap Room in Rockville Centre, featuring a performance by the band MANNCHILD. “That night 400 people attended the concert, and over $8,000 was raised,” Ruchalski said. “It was a fabulous community event celebrating Mary.”
Blending sportsmanship, charity, and community, the Play 4 Mary weekend has become a cornerstone event to fight pediatric cancer and honor Mary’s legacy.
