By Seth DuChene
Editor
To win a national fast pitch title, it takes more than winning the Ontario Eliminations.
This in mind, a pair of local residents, Bob and Rick Normile, stepped up this week to help the Softball Napanee AFW Construction Midget Express, who will be representing the province at the Canadian U18 Men’s Fast Pitch Championships in O’Leary, PEI, Aug. 16-20. On Wednesday, Bob and his nephew Rick presented the team with $1,000 each to help the team get to the national tournament.
When asked why he chose to donate to the team, Bob said he had a couple of reasons. “First of all, I was born here (in Napanee), and I like to see Napanee’s name in the paper all the time, and it’s not going to be there unless people donate (to things like this),” he said.
His second reason was to challenge other individuals in the community to step up and do the same.
Ryan Rowe, a coach with the team, said that the club would like to raise $15,000 before they head east for the national championship. “Whatever we don’t fundraise has to come out of the parents’ pockets, families’ pockets, that type of thing, so whatever we can fundraise, we can eliminate some of the expense for the families and the team,” he said.
He said $15,000 would cover “a lot of our expenses.” In thanking the Normiles, he also said that the Normiles’ donation is “obviously getting us off on the right foot.”
Those interested in assisting the club can contact coach Bryan Brooks at (613) 561-9271.