After family is robbed, Warwick North steps up

Matt Metcalf, Assistant Sports Editor
Posted 12/30/14

Members of the newly-formed Warwick North Little League showed what the holiday season is all about with their actions last week.

A family that was involved with Warwick West Side Little League …

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After family is robbed, Warwick North steps up

Posted

Members of the newly-formed Warwick North Little League showed what the holiday season is all about with their actions last week.

A family that was involved with Warwick West Side Little League last year, but has since moved to Cranston, were victims of a home robbery prior to Christmas.

Among the many things that the family had stolen were several Christmas gifts for their three children – ages three, six and nine.

When Carlos Rodas – the President of West Side the last two seasons and now Co-President of Warwick North – caught wind of what happened, he knew that he had to step up and take action.

With just 48 hours until Christmas, Rodas, along with co-worker Matt Martel of North Point Church, was able to establish a toy drive for the family using social networks, with the donation point being West Side.

The point of the drive was not only to get as many toys as possible, but other various donations as well for the family, and deliver everything to their home on the night of Christmas Eve. Rodas and others who wanted to lend a helping hand, did just that.

After hearing that the family now resides in Cranston, CLCF softball president Jonathan Wild put forth a significant donation so that toys could be purchased for the three children.

“The fact that they’re a Cranston family in our boundaries with West Side ties was too perfect,” Wild said. “I’m very glad to have been a part of the whole thing.”

Along with Co-President Dave Palumbo, Rodas was able to contact many families involved with Warwick North, who stepped up to the table to help a family who was close to the organization.

From 6 to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Rodas and others set up at West Side to collect donations, which was undoubtedly a success.

By the time the toy drive came to a close, there was two mini-van’s full of toys – including Barbie dolls, bicycles, action figures, stocking stuffers and baseball and softball equipment for the little leaguers.

In addition to all of the toys for the three kids, people donated money and gift cards for the family, as well as a cake and ginger bread house, which was generously donated by Betty’s Candies on Broad Street in Cranston.

Rodas even got someone to dress up as Santa Clause and some of the players in the league to assist as Santa’s elves to wrap and deliver gifts, which was understandably a thrill for the kids.

When the family received all of the toys and other various gifts, they were overwhelmed by the support that their former little league had provided them.

“I’m speechless,” the father said. “I don’t have words to explain the happiness and gratitude brought to my family.”

For Rodas, it was a no-brainer when he heard what had happened to the family.

“I want to thank everyone who helped us give this family back their Christmas,” Rodas said. “My mission as a coach and a president is to not only make great athletes, but great people. The opportunity to not only help one of our own, but teach some of our kids what we are about and what Christmas is about, could not be passed.”

Rodas also wanted to repay the father, who dedicated a great deal of time as a coach at West Side.

“I told him his time and effort in our league did not go unnoticed,” Rodas said. “This is a story of karma and no good deed goes unnoticed, obviously a lot of people felt the same way.”

Although the parents were emotional, the kids were in their glory with all of their new toys.

There’s no question that the robbery was a horrible occurrence for the family, but the actions of Warwick North elevated their spirits and the little league did their best to make some sort of positive out of a negative.

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