The Cage Sports Development Center and the Eastern A’s Baseball League, in Riverhead, sponsored a “Dodgeball for a Cure” fundraising event on Sunday, November 8, to help raise awareness of, and money for research into, Parkinson’s Disease.
Joe Cuccia, owner of The Cage and the Eastern A’s travel baseball teams, decided to get involved after reading a Facebook post several months ago about Rejean Levasseur’s diagnosis with Parkinson’s. Levasseur’s son, Connor, plays on the 10U Eastern A’s team.
There are 4 travel teams in the Eastern A’s league and Cuccia said getting the young athletes involved in the fundraiser was a perfect way to teach them some life lessons about community service, empathy, and the bonds of teamwork outside of the sports arena. Cuccia estimates the players sold about 225 tickets. An additional 51 walk-ins brought the ticket sales up to somewhere around 275, assuring a successful fundraiser.
Karen Levasseur says that she and her husband, Riverhead residents, are very grateful for the community support. “Joe stepping up and doing this was going above and beyond. His generosity not only inspired us, but also provided much needed assistance for Parkinson’s research efforts in the hope of finding a cure,” she said appreciatively.
Members of the business community pitched in, too. Sponsors for the event included SUNation Solar Systems, Jerry and the Mermaid, Levasseur Builders, Riverhead Building Supply, Riverhead Central Faculty Association, Suffolk County National Bank, Marketing by Click, Rissone Abstract, Brick Cove Marina, The Tee Shirt Guy, Inc., The Cage, and Eastern A’s Baseball League.
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