GREENVILLE – The skies may have threatened but the rain held off in Saturday’s day-long fundraiser at the Greenville Town Park where softball was the name of the game and helping fund a cure for juvenile diabetes was on the agenda.
Dozens of families turned out for the third annual Softball for a Cure, with all funds raised donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
The event is planned and implemented each year by mom Lisa Johnson, a softball coach whose daughter, Brittany, has Type 1 juvenile diabetes.
“My daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes seven years ago,” Johnson said. “It affects everything she does, but she doesn’t let it stop her from doing anything.”
Adults played two softball games in the morning, with a twist – this time, the kids were the coaches. Each adult player paid $5 to participate, with the kids’ game – held around lunchtime – free of charge.
Donations were also raised by food sales, face painting, and an art activity where kids created their own “pet rock”. A bounce house, donated for the day by Big Top Tents, was also available to the kids for no charge.
The Albany Devils hockey team mascot also paid a visit and raffled off tickets to a Devils game.
After the two adult games and one kids’ game were finished, that was supposed to be it for the day, but everyone was just having too much fun.
“The kids’ game was scheduled to be our last game, but everyone wanted to play more so we added a game where the kids and adults will play together on the same teams,” volunteer Michelle Case said.
In addition to a core group of volunteers, donations of both money and food came in from CYL, the travel Spartans’ team, and the Bethlehem Braves. Krasney Construction donated the T-shirts.
“We had a great deal of support from the community – it’s wonderful how many people come out and support this event each year,” Johnson said. “There are more and more kids getting diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes every day, and hopefully one day they will come up with a cure.”
But just because there isn’t a cure just yet, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been progress in the battle against the disease.
“When Brittany was first diagnosed, she was taking countless shots a day,” Johnson said. “After one year she went on an insulin pump, which has to be changed every three days. That gave her a lot more freedom. And if she wants to have ice cream once in a while, now she can.”
In addition to Saturday’s fundraiser, the Johnson family and some of their many local supporters – who have dubbed themselves Team Braveheart – will also take part in a walkathon at Corporate Woods in Albany, also to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Johnson also pointed to the support her daughter has received every day from the kids and staff at school. She said many of them have educated themselves about diabetes so if anything were ever to happen, they would know what they can do to help Brittany. And Johnson said that gives her peace of mind.
Brittany’s dad, Tom Johnson, said the community support has been gratifying.
“This shows the community stands behind you,” he said. “We see a lot of the same people coming every year, and every year it’s a good time.”
