One Woman’s Life-long Love for Reading May Equate to a Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity For Several Boys.
Lorraine Austin loved reading books…and ironically, baseball (especially the Atlanta Braves!). Upon her passing in June of this year, hundreds of books were discovered tucked away throughout the home. Not wanting to just dispose of the books, a family friend came up with a plan to make great use of them while honoring Lorraine and her love for baseball.
Across the Bay, Karen Gillman of On Point Executive Center listened to her co-worker as she shared her desire to make her son’s and his award-winning baseball team–The Tropics’ dream come true. Unfortunately, the dream was weighted down by a hefty price tag! Eleven boys and their families had been invited to spend a week in New York at the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown Dreams Park. Teams travel far and wide to play on these seemingly sacred fields which offer today’s youth baseball enthusiasts a chance to fulfill childhood dreams.
Karen, founder of the annual On Point Book Fair concocted a plan to create a fundraiser for the boys where they could earn money for their trip by selling Lorraine’s books. That plan is called, “BUCK A BOOK”; buy a book for a buck and help send a boy to Cooperstown. Lorraine’s once loved-on books may be purchased for a nominal price, while the boys not only raise money for their team trip but also learn the true beauty of fundraising, community engagement and team comradery.
Karen planted the seed with her co-worker and they put their heads together to craft a plan to support the team trip. The Tropics will host a table at the WestShore Plaza in Tampa on Saturday, September 21 from the hours of 10 am – 5 pm during the 5th Annual On Point Book Fair. Come out and meet the team and buy some books for a buck a piece. Books of all genres will be available for purchase. Donations are also welcome. The team would love any support you can share, even if it’s just a handshake accompanied by your congratulations.
The Tampa Tropics consist of 11 players who were 42 wins to 12 losses in the spring of 2019. The team has earned a plethora of awards, rings and trophies! Karen is seeking baseball lovers or corporate sponsors to monetarily match whatever amount is brought in by the ‘Buck A Book’ sale on the 21st. If you would like to join in with a match-initiative, please reach out to her at the contact information provided above!
The mission of the Cooperstown Dreams Park is to provide a cultural and life-enriching experience for young boys and girls who love the game of baseball. Cooperstown Dreams Park is a family baseball park featuring fun and excitement; friends and families spend their vacations here, watching teams from around the country play baseball. Please consider helping this local team raise the funds needed to make this incredible journey!
HOW TO HELP
The Tampa Tropics travel baseball team of 11 players are headed to the big time — the Cooperstown Dreams Park. The team will be traveling to New York to play in 2020, but the cost for each player will be more than $1,000. To help ease the burden on some of the players’ families, you can make a donation to Tampa Tropics Cooperstown, contacting jdsoto0516@gmail.com. Paypal is also available upon request.
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