Kickball tournament aims to ‘Kick Cancer’s Butt’
Wanting to “Pay It Forward” for the medical treatment that saved their son’s life from cancer, the Simkovic family of Waynesburg formed the nonprofit Colby’s Stars Foundation in 2010.
With the goal of assisting other families whose children are afflicted by the dreadful disease, the foundation has raised over $100,000 through events such as spaghetti dinners, auctions and ticket sales.
Three years ago, they came up with another idea that’s proved to be a successful addition to their fundraising efforts. Starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, the foundation is holding its third “Kick Cancer’s Butt” Kickball Tournament at the Rices Landing Athletic Club Fields in Rices Landing.
“My best friend since junior high school, Julie Venick, came up with the idea when she and her husband attended a kickball tournament in Pittsburgh and were amazed at the number of teams that participated,” said Carrie Simkovic, Colby’s mother. “We realized there wasn’t anything like it around here and decided to try it.”
The first year, the tournament had 10 teams, and Simkovic reports that everyone had such a good time that organizers scheduled another tournament the next year. It drew 15 adult and 6 youth teams. This year’s tournament is bigger than ever with over 22 adult and 6 children’s teams already registered to play. Each team has 10 to 12 players at a cost of $25 a person or $250 a team.
“The community is getting to know us, and the Rices Landing Athletic Club has been phenomenal,” Simkovic said. “Not only are we using their playing fields, but they formed a team of their own last year and are doing so again this year.”
Everyone is welcome to come and support the fundraiser, whether they play or not. In addition to lots of kickball games to watch, the event will include a 50-50 raffle, a concession stand and over 100 auction baskets with items such as Pirates, Steelers and concert tickets.
“Every dollar we raise stays in the local area to help kids battling cancer,” Simkovic said.
Not only does the foundation provide financial assistance, it has also donated outdoor play sets, monthly internet services for cyberschool needs, medical supplies, a dream trip to the Columbus Zoo, luggage, clothing and gift cards to several families whose children were suffering from different forms of cancer.
Currently, the foundation is assisting four youths in the area.
Each candidate’s case is reviewed by a committee at monthly meetings, and the committee makes its selections based on the severity of the child’s condition and/or necessity of financial assistance.
“I wish we had no applications because I’d like to see this dreaded disease go away,” Simkovic said.
Since the foundation first formed, 13 recipients have benefited from its assistance. Families that have been helped often come back to help out and give something back to the cause.
Tavion Terry, one of the stricken children the foundation helped, was diagnosed with Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glycoma, an inoperable brain cancer, on May 3 last year, one week before the kickball tournament.
“After Carrie (Simkovic) found out about Tavion’s diagnosis, she phoned me to ask if we’d like to be the recipient of the tournament,” said Desiree Burns, Tavion’s mother from Wind Ridge. The foundation then helped us with the proceeds of the tournament, which allowed us to travel to Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital five days a week for six weeks for Tavion’s radiation therapy.”
Sadly, Tavion passed from the disease last month on April 22, his 7th birthday. Burns said Carrie and the foundation have been absolutely amazing in their help of the family, and the Burns family organized two teams for this year’s tournament.
Besides the kickball tournament, the foundation accepts donations throughout the year. Recently, the board got a shot in the arm when it welcomed newcomer Scott Orndoff, a Waynesburg native who just signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The foundation is named for Colby Simkovic, who was 8 years old when diagnosed with Non-Germinoma Germ Cell Tumor, a very rare type of brain cancer found in only 10 percent of all brain tumors.
The cancerous tumor was located in his pineal gland in the center of the brain, which made surgery impossible. In just 20 days, his tumor had quadrupled in size, which underscored the aggressiveness of the tumor. After undergoing seven months of treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, which involved 5 1/2 months of extreme chemotherapy and 36 sessions of radiation, Colby is now declared cancer-free.
Currently a healthy 15-year-old and a ninth-grade student at Jefferson-Morgan School District, Colby enjoys playing baseball, camping, sporting clays and spending time helping others.
Those who’d like to help the foundation carry on its mission in any way should call 724-998-5166 or email ColbysStarsFoundation@windstream.net. More information can be found on Facebook at ColbysStarsFoundation.