Youngsters in one youth football program will be playing for more than points this coming weekend.
Niskayuna Youth Football and Cheer is holding its inaugural Niskayuna Bowl Charities Series on Saturday, Nov. 3, at the club’s fields located behind the Town Pool at 2682 Aqueduct Road. The fundraiser will benefit the Schenectady Inner City Ministry Emergency Food Pantry and the Spina Bifida Association of Northeastern New York.
Tim Brennan, president of Niskayuna Youth Football, said the Board of Directors had kicked around the idea of reaching out to help charities and the bowl-style event seemed liked a good fit.
“We really took it and ran with it,” Brennan said. “It is nice to be in the position to emphasize sportsmanship and community in the program.”
Organizers have planned three games starting a 9:30 a.m., with match-ups divided by age groups. Donations were collected at practices and games leading up to the event and will be collected at the event. The games were named through corporate sponsorships—there will be the ShopRite Partners in Caring Bowl, First National Bank of Scotia Bowl and the aptly dubbed Stewarts Shops Ice Cream Bowl.
Brennan said board members were already familiar with SICM and had made donations previously. Some board members had dealt with the Spina Bifida Association before, too.
“There are a ton of worthy charities floating around that could have been selected, but there were two that quickly came to mind for various reasons,” he said.
There isn’t a fundraising goal, in part because organizers aren’t sure what kind of attention the inaugural event will draw. Assuming this year is successful, organizers would like to hold the event annually.
“I was hoping it would work. I ultimately think we are going to do pretty well with it this year,” Brennan said. “I’m really pleased with the buzz that it got and I think we might exceed any expectation that I might have had.”
Fundraising did get a boost from ShopRite in Niskayuna, which held a weekend dedicated to the club’s campaign at its store from Friday, Oct. 26, through Sunday. There were special food items and products offered to raise funds for the group’s bowl donations.
Karen Wentworth, executive director of the Spina Bifida Association, was excited to find out the organization was selected.
“It is a great opportunity to reach some families and kids with awareness,” Wentworth said. “When we get an offer for some help from somebody, that is really welcome.”
Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs typically during the first month of pregnancy, she said. Part of the neural tube doesn’t develop properly during pregnancy and it results in defects in the spinal cord and backbone.
The local Spina Bifida Association, based in Scotia, is the only one in the state and Wentworth said the organization primarily focuses on the Capital District, but it does go outside of the area when help is sought.
Brennan said getting children to think about giving back to the community is the biggest payoff of the event.
“I think we have achieved our goal no matter what happens here,” he said.