Kickball 4 Kids raises funds for local family
A beautiful day at the Rehoboth Little League Park’s Epworth United Methodist Church Field brought out kids and adults alike to play kickball, a game we all played as children in school or at the local park. This day and this game were just a little different, as the event helped raise funds for a local homeless family and bring awareness to the plight of people who may be down on their luck and need a helping hand to get back on their feet again.
Kickball 4 Kids started out as the brainchild of local businessman Chip Thompson who stopped in Walgreens while in Puerto Rico and bought three red noses for himself and his friends Wes Fruehauf and Paul Carney to wear while they were jogging. They wanted to raise some eyebrows on the trail and raise awareness for Red Nose Day to end childhood poverty.
The official Red Nose Day sponsored by Walgreens was May 24, and that’s the day Thompson wanted to host an event to bring out kids for a fun time that could also teach them the importance of lending a helping hand to the homeless.
“The kids’ parents signed them out of school for a half-day so they could participate in the game and learn a life lesson on poverty, and actually meet the family they are helping,” said Thompson.
The students were escorted to the field in a limo-bus from Atlantic Transportation Services, where they were split up into teams to compete in the exciting game. Adults who participated had to hold a Red Solo Cup filled with water as an equalizer during the competition.
The game only went nine innings, but the life lesson learned will be with the children forever.
“I met with my friend Jim Martin from God Goes Digital [a local homeless advocacy group], and we got together with Sharmaine Bowen who had been living in her car with her five kids for three months,” said Thompson. “Jim and Shar were able to get her into a hotel for a week until we figured things out.”
Bowen had been working with Martin’s group since they fell on hard times after their home was destroyed by a fire.
But this is just the start of the help Thompson hopes to provide.
“Shar and her kids are not the only ones in Sussex County who have fallen on hard times,” he said.
Thompson will soon have a website, Facebook page and Instagram page to help raise funds for homeless families in need in Sussex County.
“We are so fortunate,” Thompson said. “We have to appreciate what we have.”
"The past couple weeks I've been bawling my eyes out,” said Bowen. “It's been so amazing how this community of people here in this area have come together and just showered us with not just monetary things and gifts, but words of encouragement."
To help Sharmaine’s family, go to www.gofundme.com/5l2m8go.
