Community fundraises more than $25,000 in three days, but still needs more

In the days since the Gresham National Little League all-star team took the Northwest Regional championship title and headed to the Little League World series in Williamsport, Pa. more than $25,000 has been raised.

That report was made available by Donnie Thompson, president of the Gresham Little League Board. While the 11- and 12-year-old players flew across the country, their parents, friends, coaches, business owners and the community charged forward, holding two major fundraisers back-to-back. The boys play their first game at 5 p.m. PST on Friday, Aug. 17.

The first fundraiser was held Monday, Aug. 13, at Mayor Shane Bemis’ restaurant, Boccelli's.

Customers spilled over into the street, as people sat at tables in the closed down streets eating spaghetti.

“In total, thousands of people came out, and we were able to raise around $18,000 so far for the team,” Bemis said. “When this community rallies around a cause, we are simply unstoppable.”

Then Tuesday, Aug. 14, the community rallied in support again. Northeast Fourth Avenue between Northeast Roberts Avenue and North Main Avenue remained shut for most of the evening, as people sat in fold-up chairs and mismatched tables eating hot dogs and hamburgers from The Local Cow.

Cheers rang out under sunny skies as the Little League president read off donations midway through the event. “Thank you Beth for $500.” Applause. “The ice cream truck behind me: $100!” “Kevin Brown: $50.” On and on the list went.

While Little League covered the cost of transportation and housing for the players, money from the fundraiser went to cover additional costs and cost to get family members to Penn.

“It’s exciting to be out helping the parents,” said Jason DeCosta, who volunteered his time to flip burgers Tuesday night.

Diane Pederson, whose son, Tyler, is on the team was at The Local Cow fundraiser. She said, “The support has been wonderful.” Pederson flew out to Pa. the next morning, “This means everything,” she said. She said without the community’s support she wouldn’t have been able to go.

Steve Meckel, grandfather of #13, Ethan Meckel said that it’s important for parents to be able to join their kids in such an important moment. “It’s a big deal in your short life, perhaps the biggest in baseball unless you go on to the majors.”

Ethan looked at his mom, Sarah, as he left for the East Coast on Sunday Aug. 12 and said, “Mom, are you coming?”

“I’m trying buddy,” she replied.

And she too, boarded a plane for Pa. the day after attending the hamburger and hotdog fundraising event. At the event, she looked around and said, “There are people here I don’t even know. This right here (is community).”

Even though the league hit its fundraising goal of $25,000, some families are still short of the estimated $4,000 cost it takes to send one family member to the Little League World Series.

Meckel is one of those people. “My hotel is still up in the air,” she said. She has a reservation but she’s not sure if she can pay for the room. She boarded the plane anyways and the night before she left she said, “This is the pinnacle of his childhood, I can’t imagine not being there.”

Ethan’s grandfather said the public response has been absolutely phenomenal, especially on such short notice.

Gresham resident Bryan Scott said, “Eleven little boys brought this whole city together."

“(Community is) people supporting each other when the need is there and I think Gresham does a great job of that,” added Gresham resident Melissa Van Dyken.

For Andy and Gina Edgren, it was a matter of changing dinner plans.

Gina said, “I got a call from my husband. He said, ‘Let’s not make dinner. Let’s go support Little League.’ ”

And so they did.

She said it was important to support the team because as she has seen with her kids in softball and baseball it brings families together and teaches them the value of teamwork.

Speaking about the team, Jennifer Weimer, 36, of Gresham said, “It’s something for our three boys to look up to.”

Even the kids were out.

Thirteen-year-old Miranda Gab volunteered more than three hours serving food at one of the fundraisers.

“I go to school with them, I’m going to be glued to the TV,” she said.

“We want the boys to know the community loves them,” said Gresham Little League Umpire in Chief Chris Ford.

If you would like to help, contact the Gresham National Little League at 503-666-6455.