PLAYERS RAISE MONEY TO FIGHT NEONATAL ILLNESS
By Laura C. Morel
Published January 22, 2012, in the Bradenton Herald, Bradenton.com
http://www.bradenton.com/2012/01/22/3810129/this-was-way-more-than-just-ping.html
BRADENTON, FLORIDA—As a teenager, Richard Castiglione regularly played ping pong. He also keeps a ping pong table at his North Branford, Conn., home.
On Saturday, he won first place during the singles competition of the Ping Pong to Eliminate Tournament. Castiglione walked away with a trophy in one hand and his ping pong paddle tucked in the waist of his pants.
“Feels good,” Castiglione said, smiling.
But Saturday’s tournament was about more than just the glory.
Bradenton Christian School’s Key Club organized the event as part of The Eliminate Project. The initiative, launched in 2010, aims to eradicate maternal and neonatal tetanus -- an illness that kills thousands of babies every year -- by 2015 in the remaining 38 countries where women and babies are at high risk of contracting MNT. UNICEF and Kiwanis International launched the project.
All the proceeds from the tournament, including the $5 tickets and $2 blue and black bracelets promoting the cause, will go toward the project.
“All they need is a shot to prevent this,” said BCS’s Key Club adviser Bethany Gerber.
Maternal and neonatal tetanus is an illness that causes babies to suffer from convulsions and sensitivity to light and touch, according to the project’s website. Babies rarely survive tetanus, and the illness can affect mothers as well.
MNT kills one baby every nine minutes, according to the project’s website.
“They’re born and they suffer excruciating pain,” said Eric Riser, Key Club International’s Florida district treasurer.
Other Key Clubs throughout Florida also are fundraising. Riser said he’s heard of clubs organizing kickball tournaments, walkathons and car washes. “Anything they can think of,” he said.
All of the money goes toward purchasing the sets of three shots -- 60 cents each -- that prevent the disease.
On Saturday, six ping pong tables were set up in the school’s basketball court. About 30 students and residents participated.
“Everybody loves ping pong,” said the school’s Key Club president Kristen Truong.
The tournament also attracted seasoned players such as Tony Webb of Bradenton. He was the 1967 table tennis military champion during the Vietnam War, the table tennis champion at Harding University for three consecutive years, and has won several state championships in Alaska, where he lived for 30 years.
John Stetzel, who spends the winter months in Bradenton, played against him -- and lost.
“He killed me,” Stetzel said. “He’s got a great spin.”
But during the single competition, Webb, 69, played against Castiglione. The orange ball zoomed left and right. Spectators’ heads bobbed back and forth as they watched the ball. The score: 21-7.
But for Castiglione, 74, the win was “just fun.”
“I like to play,” he said. “It’s good exercise. That’s the most important thing.”
Cade Gilchrist, 9, was the youngest player. At age 5, he was already playing ping pong, his mom, Donita Gilchrist, said. He and his dad constantly play table tennis in their Bradenton home.
When asked why he likes ping pong so much, Cade shrugged. “It’s similar to my favorite sport (tennis).”
Although Cade didn’t make it to final singles round, he and Webb teamed up and placed second in the doubles competition. They lost first place, 21-19.
The winners were Graham Courter and Jordan Moss. The best friends play table tennis regularly.
Each first-place winner received a $25 gift card to Outback Steakhouse.
Key Club also raised $375 on Saturday for The Eliminate Project.
At Bradenton Christian School, Gerber said, “we have a heart for service.”