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‘A League of Our Own’ plays for a cause
(by Karen F. Mrnarevic - November 14, 2007)
Carol Guadagno was not a whiner.
Even as her body slowly succumbed to Multiple Sclerosis, with which she was diagnosed in 1988, Guadagno never asked for help. “She was always smiling,” says her husband, Dominick, “She never complained.” Despite Carol’s stoicism, her friends and neighbors in Hillsdale reached out to her and “took her into their arms,” as Dominick says.
In 2005, in an effort organized by a group of Carol’s close friends, the community raised enough money to buy her a $40,000 wheelchair-accessible van. In an interview with The Record that year, Carol said, “It’s hard being handicapped… but there are so many good, kind people out there. I’ve seen that kindness. Believe me. I’ve seen it.” The statement encompassed what Dominick says was her attitude about life, that if you give love, you get love.
On Oct. 5, 2007, Carol Guadagno passed away. Asked by family, friends and neighbors what they could do for the Guadagnos’ two children, Nicole, 11, and Joseph, 19, Dominick and some of Carol’s friends came up with an idea to set up a college fund for them.
According to her friends, Carol always said, “Please take care of my kids.” Dominick says, “She wanted to make sure that when she was gone, her children would be raised right.” So rather than sending flowers or condolence gifts, people were urged to send a small donation to the MS Center at
Holy
Name
Hospital or the Guadagno children’s college fund.
On Saturday, Nov. 17, members of the
Pascack
Valley community will “step up to the plate” to raise money for the Guadagno children. The game, which will be held at Hillsdale’s Centennial Field, was organized by members of “A League of Our Own,” a baseball league for local players over 40. Hillsdale resident Jim Moldow, who has played in the league for a number of years, took the initiative to put together the game and is in charge of drumming up local interest in the cause. He knows Dominick Guadagno through the league, for which Guadagno often serves as an umpire.
Last year, Moldow suggested that the league add a few extra dollars to the regular per-player game fee and donate the proceeds to local charities. He feels that the league serves the dual purpose of providing men with the opportunity to do something they love and benefit a good cause at the same time. He was touched by the Guadagno family’s situation, and especially by the fact that Dominick seems so strong in the face of such tragedy. “You can learn a lot about life from a man like that,” Moldow says.
Fellow team member Kevin Clark is also getting involved, making the Guadagno children the beneficiaries of a second tournament in December. In 2005,
Clark came up with the idea to offer pick-up games to the league members in the month of December, and call them “Mr. December” games. Proceeds from the first Mr. December tournament were donated to the Hillsdale Public Library and Food Pantry. “The Mr. December tournament has been a huge success. It’s just a good natured, impromptu arrangement,” says
Clark .
He points out that one benefit of holding games in December is that “people are in the spirit of giving around the holidays.” He adds, “There is enormous potential here to do good,” mentioning that in the future there is no limit to the ways they can help the community through the League.
“I just thought it was nice that we could merge an activity which has brought so much fun and enjoyment into our own lives with worthwhile… civic causes [and] now this year for a very worthwhile personal cause: The Guadagno Children Educational Fund.”
The upcoming games are open to men and women, and under-40 players are also welcome to sign up. The fee per player is $15, but larger donations will also be accepted. Donation checks should be made payable to Joseph and Nicole Guadagno. Anybody not attending the games who would like to contribute can also drop off or send a check to Commerce Bank, 450 Hillsdale Ave., Hillsdale, NJ
07642.
A League of Our Own was created in 1995 by Mark Van Overloop, and started with three teams of about 45 men who played on Sunday mornings. Today, the number of players approaches 400 and features Spring and Summer, Sunday and weeknight leagues, plus bonus tournaments and special games held at professional stadiums including the Hall of Fame Field in Cooperstown, N.Y., Yogi Berra Stadium at Montclair State University and Hudson Valley Stadium.
For more information about A League of Our Own, visit www.aleagueofourown.org
Karen F. Mrnarevic’s e-mail address is Mrnarevic@northjersey.com
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