Sparkill, N.Y. – The St. Thomas Aquinas College Baseball Team made a big impact on opening day of the Touching Bases Fall 2017 Season. A baseball league for adults with mild to severe disabilities, Touching Bases of Rockland County has partnered with the Spartans over the last several seasons, to help enhance the lives of those in our community who love the game of baseball, but need additional assistance on the field.

All members of the 2017 STAC squad were involved; from returners, to recruited freshmen and transfers, to walk-ons and those hoping to make the squad via tryout. The players helped park cars, sell apparel and food, and most importantly help participants hit, throw, catch and run. In all, 55 Spartan athletes served over 200 participants during 7 games. This is week one of a 10-week season.

Joining the Touching Bases participants and the Spartans on opening day were: Bob Baird, Executive Director and Founder of Touching Bases, along with Ed Day, Rockland County Executive.

Provided by the St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information Department.

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. — To constantly remind himself about the plight of his relatives in Puerto Rico, men’s basketball freshman Luis Cartagena Jr. has been wearing a piece of tape around his right wrist, inscribed with the letters “PR,” since Hurricane Maria devastated the island.

He proudly did his part on Thursday as NYIT student-athletes loaded supplies they collected over the past week to send to Puerto Rico.

Spearheaded by volleyball coach Gail Wasmus, NYIT student-athletes on Thursday loaded a van with a couple dozen cases of water as well as canned goods, food and supplies. The supplies were en route to the Huntington Community Center, which is working with the U.S. National Guard to get the items to Puerto Rico.

“The whole van is full,” said Wasmus, who has two recruits from the island who remain without power.

Cartagena’s family in Puerto Rico — which he estimates at 20 people, including grandparents — thankfully is now all accounted for. One grandmother plans to travel to New York next week, where she can better organize relief efforts for others in distress.

The NYIT men’s basketball team had been slated to play in a three-game tournament on the island during Thanksgiving week. That has been canceled, and the team instead has focused its attention on contributing by gathering supplies.

“This means a lot that my school is sending items where my family is,” Cartagena said. “Everybody needs help. I would like every other school around us to get involved as well.”

“Dig Pink” matches are very much in fashion during volleyball season, and Palestine High School was no exception on Tuesday.

Palestine volleyball player Destiny Mathews wore a pink headband in support of breast cancer awareness as the first-ever “Dig Pink” night took place at Wildcat Gym.

Mexia swept Palestine in three games, but that wasn’t the most important statistic to come out of this night.

Side-out is a means of regaining control of the ball in volleyball, and the foundation helps people with breast cancer regain control of their lives.

Palestine head volleyball coach Janae Evans first found out about the foundation when she was searching websites years ago as she was leading Westwood’s program.

“I think it makes the girls aware that there are things bigger than volleyball,” Evans said. “I think the girls did a great job for our first year.”

The girls on the team helped sell drawing tickets, and they even baked goods at home.

“It was a way for the kids to give back and help others,” Evans added.

All of the treats looked delicious as they were presented outside Wildcat Gym in the “commons area.”

If you wanted a tasty dessert, Palestine High School sure was the place to be for German chocolate cake, red velvet, sopapilla cheesecake, cake pops, cupcakes and cookies.

Evans reported Marilyn Moore, Palestine Independent School District’s substitute teachers’ coordinator, won the big drawing for a gift basket filled with merchandise from local businesses.

The coach said the team is still working toward its fundraising goal — which is an even $1,000.

The foundation directly funds game-changing breast cancer research and support. It bankrolls cutting-edge clinical trials, and helps those woman — and men — with stage 4 breast cancer.

Side-Out deals mainly with metastatic breast cancer, which is a type that has spread beyond the breast to other organs in the body — most often the bones, lungs, liver or brain.

On the high school level, it provides scholarships to student-athletes.

If you would like to donate to the cause, call the high school at 1-903-731-8005, extension 2156.

Kudos to the Palestine volleyball team, and I hope other area schools follow suit with “pink” nights for breast cancer awareness.

Keep reading the Palestine Herald-Press this month for more stories on breast cancer and its survivors. My thoughts and prayers go out toward those affected by breast cancer. Dig pink.

Source: http://www.palestineherald.com/sports/column-we-dig-pink-in-palestine/article_ff1476f2-b110-11e7-a997-432d8c50f49b.html

Syosset High School kicked off Spirit Week 2017 with its annual walkathon on the campus grounds on October 10. The entire student body, teachers and school staff walked in unison to raise money and awareness for the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County in Glen Cove.

Every year the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County welcomes more than 38,000 visitors to its exhibits as well as participants of its educational programs.

Syosset High School’s annual walkathon traditionally serves as the opening event for its Spirit Week activities. Students and staff pledge to walk the grounds of the school during first period, raising money and awareness for a specific charity or an important cause.

Additionally, Syosset students and staff have been raising funds for hurricane relief efforts this fall. The school’s Interact Club, Awareness Club and GSA all conducted recent fundraisers. Different club booths featured at the annual Student Government Carnival have also pledged to donate a portion of their proceeds to hurricane relief efforts.

In addition to the walkathon and carnival, other highlights of Syosset High School Spirit Week include a health fair, pep rally and the annual Homecoming game.

Photo Caption A: Syosset Central School District administrators and Syosset High School leaders and staff joined with students and representatives from the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County in Glen Cove to raise funds for the center during the Syosset High School’s annual walkathon.

Photo Caption B: Syosset High School students raised money for the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County during the school’s annual walkathon.

Photos courtesy of the Syosset School District

The Connetquot High School girls soccer team, along with coach Ryan Cavanagh, recently welcomed close to 100 district elementary- and middle school-aged students to the second annual Kicks for Cancer clinic which raised more than $1,400 to help support cancer research.  

During the event, attendees enhanced their soccer skills and learned from the high school players new techniques, all while helping others in need.

Kicks for Cancer is a program that began in Hauppauge, New York in 2008 in an effort to support Courtney Tomkin, a student who had been diagnosed with brain cancer. The event has grown exponentially in Suffolk County as soccer teams across the county have signed on to raise money for various cancer organizations on the local and national level.

Photo Caption: The Connetquot High School girls soccer team recently hosted the second annual Kicks for Cancer clinic, raising more than $1,400 to help support cancer research.

Photo courtesy of the Connetquot Central School District/Joe Maniaci