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HERALD
Protecting Your Home from Pests for Over 55 Year s.
Irish-American culture on display
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Vol. 25 No. 33
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Challenger ball fields need drainage fixes age issues. “No matter what they do (to fix the field), it is very diffiThe East Meadow Challeng- cult,” Maria Necci, president of er League — which provides Semantics charity, said. “They children with special needs the really need it to be fixed.” T he lea gue needs much opportunity to play ball — has been struggling against a per- more money to prevent flooding long-term with new landsistent opponent: stormwater. The fields at the East Mead- s c ap i n g . B u s i n e s s e s h ave offered to redo the ow Ballfield Comfield for between plex on Mer rick $30,000 and $50,000, Avenue often flood according to League for days after Director Lee Cook. inclement weather, One of the fields frequently forcing hit hardest is the games and practices Lee Cook Field, to be cancelled. named after the The Challenger BEN NECCI director. League, part of the Coach, “Lee Cook runs East Meadow Base- East Meadow the Challenger ball Softball Associ- Challenger League League for the ation, provides a handicapped and baseball environment to special needs’ kids who physically challenged children want to experience exciting, on those fields,” Necci said. friendly and fun competition. “Their games are always played The association holds games at the Lee Cook Field. That’s for almost 400 kids, ranging the field seems to get the worst from age 3 to 17, with game sea- damage when it rains.” Necci was stirred to act to sons in the spring, summer and help children deprived of a autumn. Almost two years ago, the place to pursue their passion. “They love being able to play Semantics, a benevolent organization based in Oceanside that ball, and it’s so sad that those aids groups with fundraising fields are in such disarray,” she efforts, donated $9,000 to the said. “Our mantra is ‘benevoleague to fix the field’s drainContinued on page 12
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo
jdalessandro@liherald.com
I
t’s for the kids in the community.
Tim Baker/Herald
Young players took the field in the last week of July for the east Meadow paL’s football summer program. Six-year-old dominic deriggi was among 50 participants who learned new skills during the weeklong camp.
Football camp helps young players build skill, confidence By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Young athletes in East Meadow got a head start on the gridiron during a week-long youth football camp hosted by the East Meadow PAL. The program pairs East Meadow High School varsity players with aspiring football stars, creating an experience that builds skills, leadership, and community connections. Camp Director Alex Rivas is an East Meadow native and a 2008 graduate of East Meadow High School. As a player, he
received the prestigious Thorp Award from Newsday, which recognizes the most outstanding high school football player in Nassau County, and the National Football Foundation’s Nassau County Chapter Jay Fiedler award. He recalled participating in the PAL camp as a youth player and returned as its director this year to give back to the community that helped shape him. “I grew up in this program,” he said. “The youth program was a big part of my upbringing. Going through the program and now being the director of the program — it’s Continued on page 10