Last weekend’s Swinging for the STARS tournament in Strome was another great success, says organizer Chelsea Eshpeter. “This year was the third annual fundraiser, raising $26,205! This is over $10,000 dollars more than from the previous years, with a grand total of over $55,000 in three years!”
She says trailers started to roll in as early as Thursday evening, with approximately 30 trailers along with some tents.
This slo-pitch tournament had teams from across Alberta, from Red Deer, Edmonton, and Calgary, with four local teams.
There was plenty to do besides ball, too, with a silent auction that raised close to $2,000, and a raffle for a tractor where the winner, Ryan Patterson of Daysland, donated the tractor back.
Eshpeter says she was really impressed with the Flagstaff County parks department workers at the Strome diamonds.
She says, “A Huge shout out to Lane (12 years old) and Claire (14 years old) Stefanision for being such a huge help during the Fundraiser.
“Lane made sure the diamonds were floated every morning… out there by 7 a.m. on Saturday, and Clairie was amazing, selling bat raffle tickets (bat donated by Battle River Sports) which brought in over $900. I’d also like to recognize Double Z farms out of Strome for hosting such an amazing concession and their donation back to STARS was incredible! If you did not get their BBQ pork bombs you definitely missed out!”
Eshpeter says the highlight of the event for her was during the live entertainment at the Strome Community Hall.
“I would never expect by just after 9 p.m. that I was going to have to roll out more tables for people to sit… the place was full of people from the commu- nity and ball players enjoying themselves.
“The music kept them on the dance floor, and it being a family event, the kiddos were even taking part in the evening, which Dad would have loved to see, as he was such a family man.” She says she could feel her dad, Grant Eshpeter, smiling down “every second of the day, especially with sending the sunny weather.”
Eshpeter adds, “I am so thankful to the facilities in Strome, the County, my amazing volunteers, and the community/people that made this memorial STARS fundraiser such a huge success. Without your support it would not be possible.
Eshpeter and her mom, Cathy Eshpeter, will be attending the STARS base outside Leduc on Monday, June 23 where they will present the funds raised, a first for both of them.
She says she’s already got a plan for next year’s tournament, too.
Leslie Cholowsky
Editor
