Winthrop Harbor softball benefit receives mutual aid
By Tina Johansson Special to The News-Sun July 17, 2011 8:14PM
Team Broken member Rob Morstadt (left) gives five to Dane Costello, a Zion firefighter/paramedic, after their victory over the Samurais.
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Updated: July 18, 2011 2:18AM
WINTHROP HARBOR — Fire and law enforcement personnel gathered Saturday at 38-Acre Park for a softball tournament benefit to help collect funds for the upcoming Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk For The Cure breast cancer awareness event.
Jennifer Levin came up with the idea for the Mutual Aid 4 A Cure softball tournament along with friends Jennifer Kilpatrick and JoAnn Manders, who regularly walk in the Chicago breast cancer event. Another friend, Tricia Henoch, joined in to help with the benefit. The ladies team for the August cancer walk will be called Guns N’ Hoses 4 A Cure.
“This is the first time we’ve ever done this,” said Levin. The slow pitch, double-elimination tournament involved eight co-ed teams consisting of members and spouses from area fire and police departments, the Lake County Jail and Hazmat.
About 88 participants and more than 100 spectators turned out for the event. At the end of the evening, Sacks N’ Racks won the tournament. The team consisted of Lake County Jail correctional officers. They won a trophy donated by Crown Trophy of Kenosha. Jackie Fagan was captain of the team.
Levin’s husband, John, is a third generation firefighter/EMT and lieutenant for the Winthrop Harbor Fire Department, and his uncle is Fire Chief Ron Levin.
“Our goal is to raise $9,200,” said Levin. “It’s $2,300 per person in order to walk the 60 miles over the course of three days. So far, we have about $4,000 and we’re hoping to raise over $2,000.”
“It’s nice that people are willing to spend the day in the heat for our benefit. We’re extremely appreciative,” she added.
Stone Creek Grill in Winthrop Harbor offered food for sale, including pulled pork sandwiches and chips, and music was donated by a local disc jockey. The Winthrop Harbor Lions Club sold popcorn and crafts, said Levin.
Waukegan firefighters slugged it out for fallen comrade Kevin Oldham, who died earlier this year of pancreatic cancer.
Chad Gonwa, Waukegan firefighter/paramedic, got choked up when talking about Oldham. “It’s still so recent. He was my best friend,” he said.
The Waukegan team donned purple T-shirts for pancreatic cancer awareness and for the late firefighter. “He’ll be looking down on us and we’re going to try to do our best to represent him in our own way,” said Gonwa before the game.
Waukegan Fire Capt. Gene Decker said he planned on having a lot of fun with tournament. “The kind of guy Kevin was, he liked to have fun. I think he’d want us to have a good time with this.”
Levin held back tears when talking about her late Aunt Jeannette who suffered from breast cancer, a main reason she participates in the walks.
“I like doing it because it’s a personal challenge. It’s physical, emotional and mentally challenging. It shows you can reach beyond the limits,” she said. “And we walk because we can’t walk away.”
Like Levin, softball player Kari Jakimauskas, whose husband Jason is a firefighter for the Winthrop Harbor Fire Department, had an aunt succumb to the disease and noted she was more than willing to participate in the event.
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