Hockey, hockey, hockey!! I got to referee Nick’s Royals vs Glaciers game at the Spectrum where the Flyers and Phantoms play, after a Phantoms game. We invited 17 friends to watch the game and have lunch and cake afterwards. It was his 12th birthday! So much fun, I was so proud of your achievement on the ice Nicky! The next day we were in York playing in a tournament and you finally scored your first goal! Joe was working hard and trying to make a AAA summer team. Team Philadelphia. Go get it bud. Baseball was cranking up too. A lot going on.
Tryouts for Team Philadelphia were contentious at the least. Our indoctrination into higher level AAA hockey. So political. Joe was overlooked for a position but caught the eye of the Squirt Major Philadelphia Little Flyers coach. I got a call to invite Joey to try out for the team. An honor. He killed it and became a member of the prestigious AAA Philadelphia Little Flyers Hockey Hockey Club. #44- So proud. We were off to Buffalo, Boston, DC and Chicago. It was so much fun with the boys. Great Hockey players and fierce competitors on the ice. Off the ice was always a different story. Parental drama. The worst part of youth sports. Joe’s coach, Greg Conicello was a coach, an equipment manager, an intermediary, a surgeon and a shrink. There was always drama. Big time Hockey.
At the same time, I was putting together a team of my own. The Upper Moreland Middle school team for 2006. The head coach finally. Sixteen 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders of various experience and talent levels. It was a job! A challenge too! I’m always up for a challenge. Between helping coach the Little Flyers and the UM Middle school team, I was a busy boy! Couldn’t forget work…or the “Team Belaggio” fall classic!
Our third year, labor of love, Leukemia and Lymphoma society golf outing fundraiser was quickly approaching. “Team Belaggio” was going to be bigger and better this year. We coincided this years event with the LLS-Light the Night walk. This year, to try and top last year’s event, we decided to hire a Texas Hold-em event company to set up after the golf outing and banquet dinner. By adding the nighttime event, we increased our population and revenue immensely. The attendees loved the concept. Golf and games with prizes, dinner with raffles, collectable auctions and prize baskets, then an all out cash winning Texas HoldEm tournament. Oh what a night! “TEAM BELAGGIO” Was the largest donor in our division for the Annual “Light the Night Walk” where we donated the proceeds of our event. A huge accomplishment for us all. It felt great to give back to everyone who helped me survive. We would give it another go next year. A last hurrah. Fundraising is really tough work. Four years would be enough. My goal was to reach a total of 100k from all four fundraisers. Now I have to get into Santa mode, Coach mode and Survivor mode. Tis the season…got to make the Donuts! I mean Diamonds!
A Personal side note…
Joseph turned 25 years old on the 21st of September this week…2021. Those that may recall an earlier excerpt will remember the 21st of September was the day after I came home from my Bone Marrow Transplant. That morning Joe announced his arrival and I was rushed to meet Lori and watch him being born at Frankford Torresdale Hospital. His birthday is my reminder of my release day after 58 days of isolation in Hanahmen Hospital. Sullen, sick and barely able to walk, I watched from my wheelchair, that beautiful baby boy shoot out like rocket! Thank God it was quick! I am so proud of how handsome, hard working, intelligent and compassionate he has become. Happy Birthday Joe! We love you!
Next Up: Our Family Mourns