Community Corner

Don't Miss It: Sunday Softball Tournament for Leukemia Cure

Players from co-ed teams from Stony Brook to the North Fork to partake in first-annual softball tournament in Greenport in memory of Longwood High School ball player Alex Mele.

This Sunday, the softball field at the Greenport polo grounds will be buzzing with softball for a new annual tournament meant to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Players from Stony Brook to the North Fork will compete in memory of Alex Mele, a Longwood High School ball player who lost his battle with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on Aug, 9, 2010, just 2 weeks shy of his 17th birthday. 

The tournament is organized by North Fork residents Courtney Meringer and Danielle Fogarty, both of whom play on the North Fork Women’s Softball League in Greenport.

“Danielle knew Alex personally and knew his struggles,” said Meringer, who is the Medical Staff Coordinator for Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport. “She holds this terrible disease near and dear to her heart and travels everywhere to raise funds for the cause. His memory lives on with his family and his legacy continues with his siblings who both continue in his footsteps on their respective ball fields.”

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The tournament marks a fitting end to September, which is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month. Raffle prizes will be donated by North Fork businesses including Raphael Vineyards, Matt-a-Mar Marina, and JABS, and there will also be a 50/50 raffle. There will be food, snacks and beverages for purchase throughout the day. A dozen volunteers from Stony Brook University Hospital and Cutchogue Fire Department as well as friends and family members of Alex are also coming out to support the event. 

Five teams will play four games running a single elimination bracket. The event is free and open to all. Click on the tournament’s Facebook page for more information.

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