A chill was in the air as Williston Park Rotary members headed for Kelleher Field for the day’s festivities. It is Opening Day 2013 for the Williston Park Little League.
Club President Nancy Zolezzi was on hand with event Chairmen Manny Lopez and Frank Galalis for the First Rota Golf Ball Sky Drop. These gentlemen put so much time and effort into this new event that their enthusiasm spread throughout our small but humble club with many members on hand setting up our tables, signage, selling golf balls, setting up the sky drop and testing it out two or three times with the members of the Williston Park Fire Department.
Club members sold raffle chances months before opening day which were then converted into a number which was placed on a plastic golf ball. After the Williston Park American Legion Post #144 Color Guard was dismissed with thanks and the Star Spangled Banner was sung by all and a prayer by Deacon Joe Connolly, dignitaries from the county, town and village were introduced and Mayor Paul Ehrbar threw out the opening day ceremonial ball. Then it was time for the Rotary to do their thing.
Thousands of pre-numbered white plastic golf balls were placed in a gigantic plastic bag then given to Gary Smithing of the Williston Park Fire Department. The bags of balls made their way up the 50-foot or so Williston Park Ladder fire truck which was parked in the highway department driveway. The ladder was extended high above the baseball field between second and third bases.
In great anticipation, the signal was given and the balls were dropped. Everything was going according to plan. The balls bounced onto pieces of masonite placed on the field for “bounce” and bounce they did…
The balls rolled and bounced around waiting for the ball or balls to rolling to the three, pre-cut holes places in the baselines.
I personally witnessed a ball going into the second base cup for an immediate $2,000 winner. Measurements were taken to determine the closest to the cup for first and third bases. The one thing we didn’t plan on were the hundreds of Little Leaguer’s and their siblings running onto the area to collect the balls. It looked like an Easter Egg hunt. Once all the balls were measured and recorded, the winner were retrieved for the record book and the winners were announced. The Rotary gave away $4,000 in cash prizes. The wonderful news it that the Rotary Club raised thousands of dollars for their local charities, including the Williston Park Little League.
A super special thank you to the Chairmen of the first, hopefully to be annual, Rota Golf Ball Sky Drop. Lopez and Galalis spent long hours working out all the “kinks” so that this would be a fun and profitable event for the Rotary and the Williston Park Little League.
It goes without saying, we had two great Chief’s and a lot of Indians. They were: Club President, Nancy Zolezzi, Event Chairmen, Manny & Frank, Debra Connelly, Jim Daw, Larry Kane, Mary Reardon, Ray Haller, Connie Dawes, Rev. Mother Christina Vanliew, Couqui Arkin, Peggy Thomann, Rosemary Graziano, Loretta Helmich, and Manny’s wife, Rose.
Coordination and synchronization were of paramount importance to make the Rotary Golf Ball drop successful. We would like to Thank Gary Smithing and the Williston Park Fire Department, Mayor Paul Ehrbar, Deputy Mayor and Little League treasurer, Kevin Rynne, Little League President, Mike Ciccone and Vice president Greg Toohig.
Admirable Thanks to all of Our Rotary members who sold and purchased tickets but were unable to attend the Little League Opener today and more importantly, the support of the Little League parents and all the wonderful people of Williston Park.
