Ten teams will compete in a double elimination benefit softball tournament Aug. 5.
HADLEY – Last year, Kelly Martula and friends came together to support her brother’s family with a softball tournament and raffle.
Her niece – Claire O’Donnell, then 2 years old – had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a malignant tumor that develops from nerve tissue.
That tournament was so successful that Martula and friends are doing it again, this time to benefit other Hadley families. They are planning on making this an annual event and have created Softball for Small Fries. “We want to reach out to families to pay it forward,” Martula said.
Last year, they raised $15,000 and drew 500 throughout the day to the Young Men’s Club.
The tournament will be Sunday this year also at the Young Men’s Club on East Street and will benefit two children and their families.
Samuel Pollard, who has ataxia telangictasia, a rare, genetic disorder, and Nora Weber, who has a rare congenital bone condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, were selected, she said. Samuel is 7 and Nora is 14.
“We’re trying to help give them a little peace of mind, to assist the two families in any way we can,” Martula said.
Samuel’s family needs help to make their home accessible.
This year, they are having a double elimination tournament instead of a single elimination one, with 10 teams instead of 12.
Martula said they have 10 teams already and there’s a waiting list.
They want people to come out to watch and eat. Admission is free to the tournament, which begins at 9 a.m., but people can donate, and buy food and raffle tickets to support the cause. Businesses can also donate.
As for her niece, Martula reported “she is still undergoing treatments, tests and scans to determine the level of cancer left in her system. She turned 3 on June 24,” she wrote in an email. “It was a great day.”
Anyone wishing to donate can contact Martula at kod7971@gmail.com.