Sports
Petaluma Parents Overwhelmed by Generosity
't was great to know that other people in the community were behind us. It's unbelievably generous.'
The San Francisco Giants, the Oakland Athletics, and Comcast Sports Network know all about striving to achieve goals and these organizations know what it takes to get there, on the field and off the field.
Reaching the Little League World Series is every young baseball player's dream. Taking the field in Williamsport is the ultimate goal and prize.
Parents are also dreamers, even when it means effectively putting the rest of their lives on hold. Making the trip from Petaulma to Pennsylvania can be time consuming and financially draining. As a result, some families are left behind, only able to dream.
Petaluma did a grand job of fundraising on its own, and in combination with the $15,000 donated by the two Bay Area baseball teams and the network that covers them both, the Petaluma National Little League left no parent behind.
The Little League program also received donations from around California, including San Carlos.
"It's been awesome," said Rachel Brandis, mother of Petaluma outfielder Kempton Brandis.
Brandis took a redeye flight from California Saturday night, arriving in time to see her son take the field against Tennessee Sunday.
"The whole community has been incredibly supportive," she said. "It’s how I was able to be here."
Without the generosity of the Giants, A’s and Comcast, as well as many other individuals and organizations in the Petaluma community, many of the players' families would have had to watch the games from home.
Heather Slate and John Banister echoed that sense of gratitude. "It’s unbelievable," they said.
They pointed out that, though the Little League World Series is 10 days long, they have actually been on the road much longer, over three weeks of traveling around to state and regional tournaments, of which the Petaluma boys first had to win in order to earn their place in Williamsport. Money and precious time away from their jobs took a toll.
"It was our decision to make this sacrifice," Banister said, "to be here to support them. But it was great to know that other people in the community were behind us. It's unbelievably generous."
The donations have helped assure the Petaluma National players and their families a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. In Williamsport, these 11-13 year-olds are veritable stars, garnering extensive media attention and adoring fans. Thousands roam the LLWS grounds donning the West's team colors, and the players can barely make a public appearance without being stopped for a picture or an autograph.
"You know, we've been here for four days now, and I think our minds are just now slowing down," Banister said. "It’s like NASCAR, I'd say. Everything has been going by so fast, you can barely take it all in. But so far it’s been amazing being here.:
The Petaluma Nationals are currently 2-1 in this year’s World Series after its dramatic victory over Parsippany, NJ on Monday.
