The Port Washington Vikings Baseball Booster Club recently elected new officials to run the nonprofit organization including Joseph McVeigh as president, Christina Alexander as treasurer and Jane Abrahams as co-vice president. Stepping down from their positions are Rick Dalimonte as president and Georgine Hertzwig as treasurer while one of the original cofounders, Eddie Esposito, will remain as co-vice president.
“Christina, Jane and myself have eighth grade players,” said McVeigh. “The kids have been together since they played in PYA and we’ve done other fundraising for organizations over the years, so we decided to get together for the next five years to work with the coaches and the athletic director to benefit the program.”
The Port Washington Vikings Baseball Booster Club was founded in 2015 by Esposito to turf the infield at Guggenheim Elementary School where the high school team would play. However, due to grants acquired by the Port district and athletic director Stephanie Joannon, a multi-purpose turf field was installed at Schreiber High School for all teams, so that the booster club’s funds were no longer needed. Esposito decided to continue the nonprofit for the Port Washington School district baseball program, later receiving a donation from the Thompson family for the funding of a scoreboard for the multi-purpose field at Schreiber. The booster club has funded hats for the teams, pitching, batting and strength and conditioning programs for team players and two batting cages.
At the March 13 Port Washington Board of Education meeting, the board accepted the two portable batting cages donated by the booster club, with the total donation being $8,000. One of the batting cages will be installed at Schreiber High School for the junior varsity and varsity players while the other will be installed at Sousa Elementary School for the seventh and eighth grade players. The batting cages are also open to the public when not in use by teams.
“What we’re looking to do in the future is to purchase a 90-foot drop-down batting cage for inside the gymnasium,” said McVeigh. “It’s retractable in the ceiling so it’s out of the way, it can come down and can be split up so that the baseball and softball teams can use it. The drop-down batting cage will allow for practice to be held inside during inclement weather.”
The organization is also in the preliminary process of raising funds for a new irrigation system at the Guggenheim Elementary School field.
To raise funds for their future projects, the Port Washington Vikings Baseball Booster Club will be holding a Mets fundraiser on June 3, at 1:30 p.m. The booster club blocked off a section for Port Washington during the Mets versus Cubs game. There will be 150 tickets available for purchase at $55 per ticket.
There will also be a Coaches versus Cancer game on April 28 run by the baseball coaches with assistance from the booster club. The proceeds will go toward cancer research and the baseball teams.
For tickets or information about the Mets game, visit www.facebook.com/events/813223855537953. For more information about the booster club or to make a donation, contact McVeigh at jmcveigh@pentacommunications.com.
