Lehigh Valley Source

Angel 34 Field Hockey Classic Set for Nov. 8 at Emmaus High School

The 2009 Angel 34 Field Hockey Classic will be played at 1 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, at Emmaus High School. Senior players from District XI high schools will compete in two games versus teams from District III. Proceeds from the games will benefit Angel 34 and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

More than 450 players raised $16,000 by participating in the Sixth Annual Walk for Hope for Children Battling Cancer and the first-ever Field Hockey Olympics on Sept. 20. Proceeds went into a cherub fund to support students in their own district, into medical arts scholarships to graduating participants, and to Angel 34. Five $1,000 Nonathletic scholarships will be awarded by the Angel 34 Field Hockey Classic Committee this spring.

The Angel 34 Foundation was founded in 2003 by Northampton High School student Nicole Sheriff during her battle with cancer. In her freshman year, Sheriff took her battle onto the playing field and asked District XI teams to support her cause “that every child have their own angel during their battle with cancer.” Over the next 1½ months, the teams helped to raise more than $15,000 to jump-start Sheriff’s foundation and to support her ICEE Program.

Before her passing in May 2004, Sheriff set up a foundation to support her ICEE Program as well as to provide financial support to families, have pet therapy programs, create medical arts scholarships, and donate to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital for cancer research. One hundred percent of the money Angel 34 raises is used to support the mission. Since 2004, the Angel 34 Foundation has provided nearly $2 million to children and their families

In 2008, the Angel 34 Foundation opened its doors to Angel Field, Nazareth, Pa, a bed-and-breakfast and retreat for children battling cancer. The facility provides activities and therapy programs to the children and their families at no cost. By 2010 the hope is to provide children from across the country the opportunity to stay at Angel Field for one week. During their stay the children will be provided with daily trips to local vacation spots in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding communities and states. Local families with a child in the hospital for cancer treatment will be able to stay overnight at Angel Field.

Players participating in the 2009 Field Hockey Classic from District XI and New Jersey high schools are as follows:

Bangor: London Dickey, Jenna Moffett, and Sara Maloney; Catasauqua: Shawnna Beil, Angela Rigopoulos, Mo Donchez, and Andrea Eck; Central Catholic: Lucia Romano, Jackie Hollawell, Abby Storm, and Taylor Watts; Easton: Lindsay Richey, Sondra Winders, and Alexa Llagas; Emmaus: Shannon Creghan, Madison Blyler, Jessica Vaeth, and Kate Mitchell; East Stroudsburg North : Alyssa Kennedy, Neena Black, Megan Goetz, and Amanda Haese; East Stroudsburg South: Nicole Grimaldi, Brielle Kessel, and Caitlin Toleno; Franklin, N.J.: Lexi Berko, Diamond Holloman, Emily Behn, and Molly Rynn; Lehighton: Abby Frey, Corri McConville, and Sarah Snyder: Liberty: Taylor Schlenar, Taylor Mihalik, and Megan Seifert; Moravian Academy: Jordan Will-Weber, Victoria Tersigni, Julie Fraenkel, and Callie Woods; Nazareth: Hilary Dilsaver, Meghan Mills, and Erin Reilly; Northampton: Ann Marie Dalton, Krista Filchner, Becky Kistler, Nicole Leo, and Stephanie Belaires; Northwestern: Kina Wehr, Alison Oxley, and Caitlin Bagenstose; Parkland: Megan Keen, Maura Ringer, Emily Schneider, and Alexis Gersbach; Pen Argyl: Carly Torgersen, Molly Geklinsky, and Jaclyn Parsons; Phillipsburg, N.J.: Amanda Mack, Sharon Cockerline, Samantha Lavin, and Jen Harbison; Pleasant Valley: Samantha Cunningham, Kelsey McGarvey, and Cathryn Chaszar; Pocono Mountain East: Caitlyn Boylan, Nicky Linder, Ashley Zimmerman, and Katelyn Farmer; Pocono Mountain West: Samantha Fuss, Leslie Contopidis, and Brittany Villar; Stroudsburg: Rachael Hare, Kayleigh Stewart, Jenn Eppley, and Sara Williams; William Allen: Emily Morrell and Kristen Focht; Whitehall: Erin Bonshak, Alana Costenboder, Ashley Koren, and Elizabeth Millen; and Wilson: Nicole Campbell, Renae Gornick, and Lauren Iobst.

The teams will be divided into two groups for the 1 and 3 p.m. games. Students from the following teams will play in the 1 p.m. game: Northampton, Moravian Academy, Catasauqua, Pocono Mountain West, Bangor, Easton, Emmaus, Nazareth, Pleasant Valley, Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg South, and Franklin. Officials are Chris Pocovich and Kris Check.

Students from the following teams will play in the 3 p.m. game: Parkland, Lehighton, East Stroudsburg North, Pocono Mountain East, Whitehall, Central Catholic, Liberty, Northwestern, Pen Argyl, William Allen, Wilson, and Phillipsburg. Officials are Martin Romeril and Brenda Mitstifer.

Admission is $5 each for adults and $3 each for students and senior citizens.

Golf & Tennis Invitational Benefits Good Shepherd’s Pediatric Rehab Unit

Photos and text by DIANA MORSE
Of Lehigh Valley Source

 

 

Sally Gammon, president and CEO, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, Allentown, Pa., welcomes participants and guests to the 2009 Good Shepherd 2009 Golf & Tennis Invitational awards ceremony. Among the first patients served at Good Shepherd’s recently opened inpatient pediatric rehabilitation unit was a 6-year-old boy, who suffered a seizure resulting from diabetes complications. With help from Good Shepherd, the child re-learned how to walk, talk, and eat. Patients also included a 9-year-old girl, who had been hit by a car and needed rehabilitation to recover from multiple severe injuries. In the past, families in the Lehigh Valley region were often required to travel to Philadelphia to receive such services.

A beautiful day on the links at Saucon Valley (Pa.) Country Club greeted 2009 Invitational participants.

Todd Donnelly, president of Viamedia and chairman of Good Shepherd’s 2009 Golf & Tennis Invitational, brandishes a plaque thanking him for his successful leadership.  Although the event was lightly attended--with only 80-some golfers and tennis players in attendance--fundraising, including live auction bidding, was outstanding. The event raised nearly $100,000 to benefit Good Shepherd’s inpatient pediatric rehabilitation unit in the Lehigh Valley.

The awards ceremony for best performance at golf and tennis took place in Saucon Valley Country Club’s gracious dining room. Following the tournament, players and guests enjoyed a delightful late luncheon outdoors on the terrace. Many jokes alluded to the day’s “terrible weather.” Good Shepherd’s annual tournament generally enjoys perfect playing conditions year after year, although, according to several golfers, the course was rather damp this year due to the previous weekend’s deluge.

Long time Good Shepherd supporters Bob Ford (left), 2009 Golf Chairman, and Ray Federici, 2009 Tennis Chairman, declared the Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, tournament
a success.

 

 

 

Players and guests enjoy a relaxing,
apres-tournament moment on the terrace.

Lehigh Valley Sports

Golf Ball Drop to Benefit Junior Golf Program

Catasauqua, Pa.--The First Tee First Ultimate Golf Ball Drop will be held on Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, at Willowbrook Golf Club, Catasauqua, to benefit The First Tee Lehigh Valley/Embrace Your Dreams, a nonprofit youth development program. The event will follow Willowbrook’s Eighth Annual Fundraiser Golf Tournament. 

At 5 p.m., hundreds of numbered golf balls will be dropped from a 40-foot ladder onto a practice green. The winner will be the person holding the ticket for the first ball in or closest to the hole.

Cost is $10 per ticket or $50 for six tickets. All proceeds benefit First Tee Lehigh Valley. Participants need not be present to win.

The First Tee Lehigh Valley/Embrace Your Dreams youth development program provides tennis and golf instruction, sports etiquette, and life-skills education for more than 450 primarily underserved Lehigh Valley youth ages 8-16. Life-skills education is integrated into golf and tennis instruction to help children build self-esteem, develop self-discipline, gain a sense of individual achievement, and handle success and failure.  

“The First Tee of the Lehigh Valley has taught me things that have made me a better person,” says participant Hector Alvarez. “I wasn’t interested in playing golf until one of my friends told me to join the program. Once I started going, I didn’t miss a day of golf. We learned how to play golf and were taught the Nine Core Values of the game. I think that these values change every kid’s perspective that enters The First Tee. The instructors inspired me so much that I have been helping my golf instructor teach other kids. The instructors made the program fun and they were patient. They encouraged me to keep playing and to never give up. I am planning to work at The First Tee next year to encourage kids to learn the game of golf.” 
 
Says one participant’s mother, “Chad loves the Embrace Your Dreams program. The program has given him a feeling of acceptance, a sense of accomplishment, and an opportunity to play and learn more about a sport he loves. The coaches focus on the good that kids do. They are such positive role models. Chad has also become a better golfer with their help and has dreams of playing for the PGA.”

Embrace Your Dreams programs celebrate diversity and provide kids with role models and one-on-one attention. College scholarships are available to eligible participants through The First Tee’s national program. Ongoing collaborations include the Bethlehem School District’s ASPIRE program, the Allentown School District, the Boys & Girls Clubs, and youth agencies throughout the Lehigh Valley. 

As the designated chapter of The First Tee Lehigh Valley, Embrace Your Dreams has the financial support of the Bethlehem Housing Authority, the United States Golf Association, The United States Tennis Association and corporations, and foundations and individuals throughout the Lehigh Valley. 

Embrace Your Dreams was founded by Peter Fuller and Julie Thomases in 2000 as a tennis and life-skills education program at Jordan Park in response to the need for alternative recreational opportunities in center city Allentown.

Willowbrook Golf Club is at 1364 Howertown Road. The Golf Ball Drop is sponsored by Walmart and Willowbrook Golf Club.

For information and to purchase tickets. call 610-868-5290, e-mail jthomases@yahoo.com, or visit www.embraceyourdreams.org or thefirsttee.org. 

Angel 34 Foundation to Sponsor Events for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and the Angel 34 Foundation is sponsoring several 2009 events to raise awareness of and funds to benefit those affected by childhood cancer.
 
Angel 34 Sixth Annual 5K Walk for Hope
This event will be held Sunday, Sept. 20, at Northampton High School’s Al Erdosy Stadium. Registration starts at noon, and the opening ceremony at 1 p.m.. To obtain a registration form, visit www.angel34.org or call 610-533-1923. Before the walk, District XI field hockey teams will participate in the Field Hockey Olympics. Last year, 400 field hockey players participated in the walk.
 
Friday Nights for Hope
District XI cheerleading teams will be the “Voices of Hope” at Friday night football games. Home and visiting teams will work together to promote awareness and raise funds via such activities as can drives and T-shirt, pin, and gold ribbon sales.
 
Angel 34 Second Annual Duck Pluck
Rubber ducks will be randomly chosen for prizes from a “flock” of 5,000 at the Angel 34 Second Annual Duck Pluck at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, at Northampton High School’s Al Erdosy Stadium. To adopt a duck for $5 or a Quack Pack (six ducks) for $25, visit www.angel34.org. The Duck Pluck follows the Cheerleading Olympics to be held from 1 to 3 p.m. at the stadium that day. District XI cheerleaders will compete.

Angel 34 Third Annual 5K and 10K Race Against Time for Childhood Cancer
These events will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, at Northampton High School’s Al Erdosy Stadium. Registration is 10 to 11 a.m. Races begin at 11:15 a.m. For a registration form, go to www.angel 34.org or call 610-533-1923.

Via College Cup Challenge to Raise Money for People with Disabilities

Allentown, Pa.--Professional hockey has the Stanley Cup, football has the Lombardi Trophy, and now the Lehigh Valley has the Via College Cup. Teams from colleges and universities across the Lehigh Valley will come together to compete on Sunday, Sept.13, in the College Cup Challenge as part of the Lehigh Valley Health Network Marathon (LVHN Marathon) for Via.
 
“Higher education is a major component of this community,” said Paul Pierpoint, LVHN Marathon chairperson and dean of Northampton Community College’s Southside campus. “With all these great colleges right here in the Lehigh Valley, this was the first time I can imagine for all of them to come together and compete in something that everyone can be competitive in—running and fundraising.”
 
Ten teams have already registered for the Via College Cup Challenge, a new relay team category added this year to the LVHN Marathon. Last year at this time, 700 runners were registered for the race. This year, more than 1,330 have registered.
 
“We think we’ll have 10—possibly 11—schools involved,” said Pierpoint. “We’re also reaching out to local alumni associations from colleges and universities across the country.”
 
The LVHN Marathon raises money for a great cause—Via of the Lehigh Valley¬—and community support is vital for the programs provided for children and adults with disabilities, said Pierpoint.
 
“It’s also important for our Lehigh Valley students to learn now that they are a part of something bigger—that their community extends beyond the walls of higher education and it is important to give back and support your community,” he said. “We’re looking forward to race day and seeing all the universities in their school colors, showing how important higher education is to our community.”
 
More than 1,650 walkers and runners participated in the 2008 LVHN Marathon for Via,  supported by 400 volunteers. This unique event features a five-person team relay, full and half marathon, and 5K walk. The 26.2 mile course starts at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown and takes runners through the Lehigh Parkway to the Lehigh River Canal Towpath, continuing through Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. Along the way, runners will enjoy the scenic beauty of the Lehigh Parkway and the Lehigh River, pass through Bethlehem’s Historic Quarter, utilize miles of beautifully canopied trails including cinder, paved, and grass surfaces, and end at Center Square in Easton.
 
The LVHN Marathon raises funds for Via’s services for people with disabilities so they can connect and live in their communities. Via of the Lehigh Valley is a nonprofit human service agency that provides services for children and adults with disabilities, such as  autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. Serving the community since 1954, Via’s staff help individuals and families from birth through retirement, focusing on children’s services, community connections, and employment. Visit www.ViaNet.org to learn more about Via’s services.

Registration for runners closes on Aug. 23. Walker registration continues right up to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 13. Volunteers are needed for race day. Volunteer, register, or donate online at www.ViaNet.org. Questions should be directed to Via@ViaNet.org or 484-893-5389. 

Golf Tournament Supports Literacy

The Literacy Center’s Fifth Annual “Literacy Changes Lives” Golf Tournament will take place Thursday, Oct. 1, at Olde Homestead Golf Club, New Tripoli.

In addition to a fun-filled afternoon on the Golf Digest four star-rated course, the tournament will provide on-course contests and prizes. Apres-golf events include awards and a barbeque dinner.

The action will begin with a noon shotgun start. Golfers and guests will enjoy Olde Homestead’s restored 1910 farmhouse (currently the clubhouse), a 1700s summer kitchen, one-room schoolhouse, drive-through corn cribs, and a horse-drawn carriage museum.

Located in Allentown, The Literacy Center is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1977.

For more information about the tournament and to register, contact Susan Tucci at 610-435-0680, Extension 119, or stucci@theliteracycenter-lv.org.

Allentown’s SportsFest Features Diverse Array of Activities

Ben Crawford, 11, of Catasauqua, gives Puttle
a bowling/golf hybrid a whirl at SportsFest.
Photo by Steve Andres

By STEVE ANDRES
Special to Lehigh Valley Source
   
Allentown, Pa.--For those who yearn for a little variety on their sports plate, Allentown SportsFest was the place to be July 16-19.

SportsFest, now in its 13th year, hosts 49 events with a wide range of activities for almost any sports fan. Where else can a scuba diver mingle with a kayaker or a martial artist? The walk down Cedar Beach featured a panoply of attractions that hearken to a day when activities such as barrel jumping and cliff diving were commonplace on Saturday afternoon TV. Sure, attendees were able to get their fill of traditional sports, such as basketball and volleyball, but the true flavor of SportsFest comes alive when spectators are treated to something unique, such as Puttle®.

Yes, Puttle. It’s fun to say and even more fun to do. Puttle is the brainchild of local inventor Ken Kleppert of Vera Cruz, who was struck by a bolt of inspiration while waiting for pictures to download. Art director of Armchair General magazine, Kleppert   used the downtime to grab his putter and began to practice his stroke. When he glanced at a bookshelf and eyed his father’s bowling trophy, a bell went off, and the marriage of bowling and golf was born. Kleppert nurtured his idea and began the requisite work to get a patent. Meanwhile, he’s been introducing people to his sport through tournaments and online at iloveputtle.com, providing all would-be puttle enthusiasts a chance to become familiar with his creation.

As most of the mid-day crowd made its way to the basketball courts, Kleppert’s Puttle was like a respite from the drumbeats of team sports that have dominated the sporting landscape. At the Puttle area, kids were silently hovering over a golf ball trying to knock down three pins. It’s a game that incorporates a crucial aspect of golf, according to Kleppert.

“You learn the most important aspect of the game, which is putting,”  said Kleppert.

Kleppert, who describes himself as an “average hacker golfer,” said that Puttle was first envisioned as an indoor activity but is adaptable to any environment. The 12-foot course can also be modified to fit a number of age groups and is scored like golf,  with play consisting of varied numbered rounds according to preference. He also made the Puttle pins proportional to the golf ball, duplicating the bowling ball/bowling pin size ratio. He also knew that 10 pins would be too cumbersome and, therefore, settled on three, with the middle pin marked as the optimal prize.

Further up Cedar Beach, dogs took center stage as a number of breeds participated in the agility competition. The event features a series of jumps and tunnels that dogs must execute, while relying on their owners or handlers to guide the way. While some dogs probably possess a Zen-like focus while navigating the course, border collie EmmyLou wandered away every so often to enjoy a few scents along the track. Joyce Yaccarino, EmmyLou’s owner, says that she and EmmyLou simply like the exercise that the agility competition affords.

On the waterways, canoes and kayaks skirted across the surface as members of both the Lehigh Valley Canoe Club and Lehigh Valley Whitewater club offered boating demonstrations throughout the day.  

On stage, dancers from Lehigh Valley Dance Alliance demonstrated a diverse mix of styles, under the watchful eye of their director, Jennifer Langensiepen. The organization’s   goal is to unite dancers from multiple studios throughout the valley and to promote dance, said Langensiepen.

The man responsible for this assortment of sporting events is Raymond Atiyeh, who conceived the event in 1996 and serves as president and executive director. He has seen the event grow from a handful of sports to its present-day roster. He also oversees a small army of volunteers who help make the four-day event run smoothly over multiple locations across the Lehigh Valley.

Atiyeh originally saw SportsFest as a way to promote the city of Allentown. Coming from a business background, Atiyeh, who operates a printing company, saw the value of linking sports and commerce, with Allentown playing the role of host.

“A lot of ideas came to my mind, and this one [SportsFest] seemed like it would work,” said Atiyeh.

He proposed the idea to city leaders and was given the green light. What began as a way to highlight the city and its parks system has grown into a forum for athletes to showcase their ability, according to Atiyeh.

“When I can see all the smiling faces and people feeling good, that’s how I want it to be,” said Atiyeh. “And the appreciation from the athletes and the community also makes it worthwhile.”

 

 
Members of Dance Explosion kick off the dance
exhibition at SportsFest on Sunday afternoon. Members
include (left to right) Julie Rehrig, Chelsea Ritter,
Sara Callie, Alyssa Kresge, Marissa Kvacky, Abby
Guman, and Carly DeAngelo. The exhibition featured
a number of local dance groups, showcasing a wide
array of styles. Photo by Steve Andres

 
Joyce Yaccarino and her border collie, EmmyLou,
compete in the dog agility competition during the
final day of SportsFest. Photo by Steve Andres

 
Joseph Tedrow, 24, of Richmond, Va., channels his
inner “Arnold” as he competes in the log press during
the strongman competition. Athletes hoist a 220-pound
log above their head as often as possible in this
timed event. Photo by Steve Andres

 
Kelly Saylor of Daniel Boone High School unleashes a
corner jumper versus Northampton during Sunday
morning action at SportsFest. Photo by Steve Andres

 
Roller hockey was among the many team sports played
at this year’s SportsFest. Photo by Steve Andres

 
Fencers Ryan Gresh (left) of Warminster and Mark
Ritchie of Easton thrust and parry while engaged in
competition at SportsFest. Photo by Steve Andres