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Street Kids Announce Plans For
a Very Special Opening Night
a Very Special Opening Night
by TJ Jorgensen, SKS Director
Opening night at the Belleville Complex in South
Bend for the Men's Platinum League will be held
on May 5th and members of the Street Kids
Softball team are anticipating this day more than
any other opening night in recent memory.
We are not just looking forward to defending our
league championship or getting on the field at
Belleville again, or even the sweet taste of the
concession snacks that John Byers and his staff
provide. No, this particular night will mean so
much more because some new friends I met this
week will be there to enjoy the game with us.
In cooperation with the Pediatric Oncology
Program at Memorial Children's Hospital in South Bend,
the Street Kids Softball team will be hosting several children of all ages to the Complex on opening night, to
come out and watch the powerful SKS team play against an equally powerful opponent. Before the game, all of
the children of Memorial - and their families - will be on the field with the Street Kids team, playing catch,
hitting some batting practice and running around the bases, all the things that many of us take for granted every
day we step on the field. After the on-field fun, the kids and their families will enjoy some hot dogs and
beverages in the bleachers and cheer the Street Kids team on to victory. We welcome everyone! If you are
battling this terrible disease and want to come out and feel the support of our team, please contact me.
The Street Kids organization, proudly sponsored in leagues by Zolman Tire, has been involved with many other
organizations in the community, including the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk and having a team in Relay For
Life, where my wife, Courtney, is a chair-person. We are also active with the American Red Cross, where we
hosted a successful blood drive at the College Football Hall of Fame and have some bigger plans this spring
with an oncology hospital in Michigan City, where the team hopes to raise close to $10,000 for cancer
research.
People ask me often why we're doing these things and its simple: We want to make a difference. We have been
lucky that the website has been tremendously popular, allowing more exposure to our team. We have built our
team on the field to be one of the most powerful teams ever assembled in the area. But as we selected
members for this team, I made it clear that they were not just joining this team to win softball games, but to win
people. We want to win the hearts of other softball players, other athletes and other people in our community,
and bring awareness to the issues that occur everyday around us.
The families who are coming out on opening night
this coming Monday, have heard one of the most
terrifying sentences any parent ever wants to hear:
your child has cancer. These children fight every
day for their lives, and let me tell you from first hand
experience, their bodies may be weak, but their
spirits are strong. These children and their families
are going through the hardest battle than most of us
have never thought of, and they need the support of
everyone around them to give them the courage to
take another step forward in their fight to beat this
terrible disease.
Cancer is one of the largest killers in the world,
taking over half of a million people each year. For childhood cancers, an estimated 9,100 new cases are
expected to occur among children aged 0 -14, with 1,400 deaths. Cancer is the chief cause of death by disease
in children between the ages of 1 and 14.
Cancer is not prejudice. Cancer doesn't care your skin color, your age, if you are a man or a woman. Cancer is
a killer and one day a cure will be found. But it can only be found with the help of people who raise money for
research. Relay For Life, the American Cancer Society's signature event, is a fun-filled overnight experience
designed to bring together those who have been touched by cancer. At Relay, people from within the
community gather to celebrate survivors, remember those lost to cancer, and to fight back against this disease.
South Bend's Relay For Life is scheduled for June 7th and 8th. The Street Kids Softball team will be actively
involved in the weekend and hope that you can get involved as well.
When I visited the pediatric oncology program at Memorial last week, I got to meet some really great kids,
including Jackie Cooper, a 10-year from Koontz Lake, Indiana, who loves wrestling and fishing. His parents,
Rodney and Stacy, are so proud of Jackie, who has more courage and spirit than most healthy people I meet
on a daily basis. Jackie told me about his favorite wrestler, Rey Mysterio Jr., and how he had the chance to
meet Matt Hardy, another WWE superstar. Little did Jackie know that I, too, grew up a big wrestling fan! We
had nice time talking about our favorite wrestlers and when I left the room, I remember thinking what a
wonderful smile Jackie has. He was tired, his body was sore, but he still had that amazing smile.
I also got to meet a young boy who was working on developing a board game featuring Monopoly and Super
Mario Brothers. I got to meet another boy, a 16-year old, who hopes to come out and see the Street Kids hit
some long home runs on opening night!
Below is some comments from Tammy Robison, parent advocate for the pediatric oncology program at
Memorial, and also a parent of a child cancer survivor:
"I want to thank TJ Jorgensen and the Street
Kids Softball team for wanting to become
involved with these very special children. I
know first hand the importance in getting
these children involved with mentors, I am
the mother of a childhood cancer survivor.
It puts a light of hope and joy in these
children's lives to become involved with
organizations that care about them. It
makes them feel special and that they are
not alone during this difficult time in their
young lives. They are wiser beyond their
years and by just working with them they
have taught me so much about life."
"One of the biggest lessons is to always
have FUN! I believe having them attend
the Street Kids Softball Opening Night will
put a huge smile on the faces of these great kids. TJ, you have no idea how much of a difference you
and your team will make in the lives of these children and their families. Thank you so much!"
I hope that anyone who reads this story gets a chance to come out on May 5th to the Bellevlle Complex on
Mayflower Road and see how much spirit and courage these young children have. I am lucky every day that I
can wake up and get in my car and go to work, talk to people, hug my children, kiss my wife, play softball. I
am now motivated even more to make a difference because of people like Jackie and the other kids at
Memorial Hospital. When I was growing up, my idols were Michael Jordan, Hulk Hogan and Muhammad Ali.
But after meeting Jackie, I have some new heroes today.
The event starts at 7pm sharp at the Belleville Complex on Mayflower followed by the Street Kids Softball
game at 7:30pm. There is no charge for entrance and in case there is no room to sit, you may want to bring a
chair or a blanket. If you have any questions about this night, feel free to contact myself at 574-607-2064 or by
email, or you can contact Tammy Robison at Memorial Children's Hospital at 574-647-3605 or by email.
I will leave you with a famous quote from the late Jim Valvano, who gave one of the most moving speeches
ever at the 1993 ESPY awards show. This quote came to my mind almost immediately after I left Jackie's
room:
"Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and
it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever."
___________________________________________________________________
This event on May 5th is not just for the children of Memorial Hospital. If you are a person who is suffering
from this terrible disease, and would like to come out and get involved with our team, we would love to have
you! Cancer does not discriminate against age and neither do we! If you are going through a tough battle or if
you are a survivor, please contact me at 574-607-2064 or my email to arrange to come out and be part of
opening night!
For more information about Memorial Hospital, visit www.qualityoflife.org
For more information about Relay For Life, visit http://events.cancer.org/rflsouthbendin
Opening night at the Belleville Complex in South
Bend for the Men's Platinum League will be held
on May 5th and members of the Street Kids
Softball team are anticipating this day more than
any other opening night in recent memory.
We are not just looking forward to defending our
league championship or getting on the field at
Belleville again, or even the sweet taste of the
concession snacks that John Byers and his staff
provide. No, this particular night will mean so
much more because some new friends I met this
week will be there to enjoy the game with us.
In cooperation with the Pediatric Oncology
Program at Memorial Children's Hospital in South Bend,
the Street Kids Softball team will be hosting several children of all ages to the Complex on opening night, to
come out and watch the powerful SKS team play against an equally powerful opponent. Before the game, all of
the children of Memorial - and their families - will be on the field with the Street Kids team, playing catch,
hitting some batting practice and running around the bases, all the things that many of us take for granted every
day we step on the field. After the on-field fun, the kids and their families will enjoy some hot dogs and
beverages in the bleachers and cheer the Street Kids team on to victory. We welcome everyone! If you are
battling this terrible disease and want to come out and feel the support of our team, please contact me.
The Street Kids organization, proudly sponsored in leagues by Zolman Tire, has been involved with many other
organizations in the community, including the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk and having a team in Relay For
Life, where my wife, Courtney, is a chair-person. We are also active with the American Red Cross, where we
hosted a successful blood drive at the College Football Hall of Fame and have some bigger plans this spring
with an oncology hospital in Michigan City, where the team hopes to raise close to $10,000 for cancer
research.
People ask me often why we're doing these things and its simple: We want to make a difference. We have been
lucky that the website has been tremendously popular, allowing more exposure to our team. We have built our
team on the field to be one of the most powerful teams ever assembled in the area. But as we selected
members for this team, I made it clear that they were not just joining this team to win softball games, but to win
people. We want to win the hearts of other softball players, other athletes and other people in our community,
and bring awareness to the issues that occur everyday around us.
The families who are coming out on opening night
this coming Monday, have heard one of the most
terrifying sentences any parent ever wants to hear:
your child has cancer. These children fight every
day for their lives, and let me tell you from first hand
experience, their bodies may be weak, but their
spirits are strong. These children and their families
are going through the hardest battle than most of us
have never thought of, and they need the support of
everyone around them to give them the courage to
take another step forward in their fight to beat this
terrible disease.
Cancer is one of the largest killers in the world,
taking over half of a million people each year. For childhood cancers, an estimated 9,100 new cases are
expected to occur among children aged 0 -14, with 1,400 deaths. Cancer is the chief cause of death by disease
in children between the ages of 1 and 14.
Cancer is not prejudice. Cancer doesn't care your skin color, your age, if you are a man or a woman. Cancer is
a killer and one day a cure will be found. But it can only be found with the help of people who raise money for
research. Relay For Life, the American Cancer Society's signature event, is a fun-filled overnight experience
designed to bring together those who have been touched by cancer. At Relay, people from within the
community gather to celebrate survivors, remember those lost to cancer, and to fight back against this disease.
South Bend's Relay For Life is scheduled for June 7th and 8th. The Street Kids Softball team will be actively
involved in the weekend and hope that you can get involved as well.
When I visited the pediatric oncology program at Memorial last week, I got to meet some really great kids,
including Jackie Cooper, a 10-year from Koontz Lake, Indiana, who loves wrestling and fishing. His parents,
Rodney and Stacy, are so proud of Jackie, who has more courage and spirit than most healthy people I meet
on a daily basis. Jackie told me about his favorite wrestler, Rey Mysterio Jr., and how he had the chance to
meet Matt Hardy, another WWE superstar. Little did Jackie know that I, too, grew up a big wrestling fan! We
had nice time talking about our favorite wrestlers and when I left the room, I remember thinking what a
wonderful smile Jackie has. He was tired, his body was sore, but he still had that amazing smile.
I also got to meet a young boy who was working on developing a board game featuring Monopoly and Super
Mario Brothers. I got to meet another boy, a 16-year old, who hopes to come out and see the Street Kids hit
some long home runs on opening night!
Below is some comments from Tammy Robison, parent advocate for the pediatric oncology program at
Memorial, and also a parent of a child cancer survivor:
"I want to thank TJ Jorgensen and the Street
Kids Softball team for wanting to become
involved with these very special children. I
know first hand the importance in getting
these children involved with mentors, I am
the mother of a childhood cancer survivor.
It puts a light of hope and joy in these
children's lives to become involved with
organizations that care about them. It
makes them feel special and that they are
not alone during this difficult time in their
young lives. They are wiser beyond their
years and by just working with them they
have taught me so much about life."
"One of the biggest lessons is to always
have FUN! I believe having them attend
the Street Kids Softball Opening Night will
put a huge smile on the faces of these great kids. TJ, you have no idea how much of a difference you
and your team will make in the lives of these children and their families. Thank you so much!"
I hope that anyone who reads this story gets a chance to come out on May 5th to the Bellevlle Complex on
Mayflower Road and see how much spirit and courage these young children have. I am lucky every day that I
can wake up and get in my car and go to work, talk to people, hug my children, kiss my wife, play softball. I
am now motivated even more to make a difference because of people like Jackie and the other kids at
Memorial Hospital. When I was growing up, my idols were Michael Jordan, Hulk Hogan and Muhammad Ali.
But after meeting Jackie, I have some new heroes today.
The event starts at 7pm sharp at the Belleville Complex on Mayflower followed by the Street Kids Softball
game at 7:30pm. There is no charge for entrance and in case there is no room to sit, you may want to bring a
chair or a blanket. If you have any questions about this night, feel free to contact myself at 574-607-2064 or by
email, or you can contact Tammy Robison at Memorial Children's Hospital at 574-647-3605 or by email.
I will leave you with a famous quote from the late Jim Valvano, who gave one of the most moving speeches
ever at the 1993 ESPY awards show. This quote came to my mind almost immediately after I left Jackie's
room:
"Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and
it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever."
___________________________________________________________________
This event on May 5th is not just for the children of Memorial Hospital. If you are a person who is suffering
from this terrible disease, and would like to come out and get involved with our team, we would love to have
you! Cancer does not discriminate against age and neither do we! If you are going through a tough battle or if
you are a survivor, please contact me at 574-607-2064 or my email to arrange to come out and be part of
opening night!
For more information about Memorial Hospital, visit www.qualityoflife.org
For more information about Relay For Life, visit http://events.cancer.org/rflsouthbendin
| Michael Stroud and Family |
| The Horvath Family |
| Bob Maison and Family |
| The special opening night of softball at the Belleville Complex is proudly sponsored by the following people and businesses! |
| Mike Maison and Family |
| Dave and Teri Balentine and Family |
| 574-273-6645 |
| (574) 255-6446 |
| KC Pocius and Family |
| The Jorgensen Family |
