Why I Got Involved
Reggie Redfern – Coach, Easthampton Eagles Little League
Having lost my wife, Leigh, 25 years ago to gastrointestinal cancer when she was only 33, I know firsthand what individuals and families go through with this terrible disease. Leigh was a nurse in a pediatric intensive care unit and, later, a nurse in a pediatrician's office in Northampton, Mass. Her love of children was second to none. Combining her lasting memory, my love of baseball, and my passion for coaching made getting involved in this program an easy thing to do. Just as easy was getting a group of kids to understand what being on the Jimmy Fund Team really means.
Reggie Redfern (back row, far right), Jimmy Fund Little League Coach of the Easthampton, Mass., Eagles
Initially, many of the children thought they were just getting the chance to play in a tournament. After explaining that this tournament was much more than just playing baseball and that it was about raising money to help kids and adults with cancer, their whole focus changed. The message hit home.
Every day our kids discussed team standings and what they needed to do to move up — and move up they did! It was nice to watch these kids unselfishly do something for others. For most, it was their first exposure to community involvement. As the years pass, we probably won't remember how many games we won or lost in the tournament, or what the scores were. But we will remember the summer we did what we could for others. This summer we get to do it all over again — the kids are talking about it already.
