Saving the Spirit of Andrew

Kids Stuff
By William Feldman

Welcome to Kids Stuff. Today’s column includes an important message from a group of true friends who remember their comrade, Andrew Farrell. Plus, I offer congratulations to the Philadelphia Soul and a weekend family fun idea.
Andrew Farrell was known as someone who showed spirit, love, determination and courage throughout his life. He is also remembered as someone who knew the true meaning of the word teammate. Andrew was a member of the George Washington High School baseball team during the undefeated regular season in 2001. He was a teammate who would always have one-line funny comments to keep the team spirit alive during tough games.
In April 2001, a Daily News article about one Washington game described Andrew as "a Babe Ruth-sized designated hitter." However, Andrew’s life changed when he was diagnosed with leukemia. He had just a 20 percent chance to live. On April 18, 2004, at age 21, Andrew Farrell passed away.
According to its Web site, the Andrew Farrell Spirit of Courage Fund is a non-profit endowment fund to raise money to give a scholarship each year to a senior member of the George Washington High School baseball team who exemplifies Andrew’s spirit of team, courage and determination, overcoming all obstacles both on and off the field and in the game of life.
In fact, Jason Welte, a close friend of Andrew’s, recalls a very special moment in time.
"I walked in Andrew’s hospital room right after that and the first thing he asked was if Washington had won their baseball game against Lincoln that afternoon," he said.
I recently received an e-mail asking me to help spread the word how the committee of the Andrew Farrell Spirit of Courage Fund would like to extend a warm invitation to companies to join them in making the 2008 Andrew Farrell Spirit of Courage Fund Golf Outing a success.
The golf outing is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m., at the Horsham Valley Country Club. The money raised through the golf outing helps the fund award its collegiate scholarships.
Also, an annual grant is given to the oncology department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Why sponsor the 2008 Andrew Farrell Spirit of Courage Fund Golf Outing? There are at least two great reasons:
• Marketing: Put your company’s flier right in the hands of potential customers.
• Support the dream! Your contribution will assist a local high school student with achieving the dream that Andrew always had, and a child at CHOP.
The executive board members are:
Craig Mullen and Jason Welte, who are the co-founders & co-presidents; T.J. Farrell; Lou Sannutti; Jim O’Hara; Kevin Wiener; Jason Guzik; Chris Mullen; Joe Heller; Matt Mullen and Brendan Boyle. Others include Max Bilkins; Linda McGee; and Karen Piscopo.
To donate an item or have your company become a sponsor for the 2008 golf outing, go to www.andrewfarrell.org and click on the home page.
For more information about the Andrew Farrell Spirit of Courage Fund and the 2008 golf outing, contact Craig Mullen, co-president, at cpmullen@andrewfarrell.org or 215-479-4276.

THE SOUL CELEBRATION
The Philadelphia Soul brought a professional championship to Philadelphia in their Arena Football Championship win over the San Jose SaberCats on Sunday, July 27.
They exhibited a dominant performance on all sides of the ball. Matt D’Orazio, league MVP, continued his mastery with pinpoint passing, and all-star wide receiver Chris Jackson continued to catch everything in sight.
Coach Bret Munsey capped his phenomenal week with the birth of his son and went on to coach a brilliant game. Typical for arena football, the game went down to the end, with every Soul fan sitting on the edge of their seats hoping the Soul would recover the final onsides kick of the SaberCats, realizing the game could have been lost if they did not recover.
The whole team came through in the clutch, with special performances by Eddie Moten, Phil Bogle and Gabe Nyenhuis. All in all, the Soul brought much happiness to the championship-hungry city of Philadelphia.

FUN FAMILY IDEA
What happens when you get a group of determined moms with their kids together? A fun production for all ages: Tragic Magic.
Tragic Magic is the second original musical by local theater organizers that will premiere this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Ukrainian Center, located at 700 Cedar Road in Jenkintown.
Last summer, two Elkins Park moms, Betsy McKinstry and Lisa Tischler, were looking for a drama program for their children. With great creativity and a lot of dedication, they decided to do it themselves.
Lisa, a writer and storyteller, creates the scripts. Betsy, a social worker and community organizer who is involved with the Cheltenham School District Foundation and other projects, is the lyricist. Betsy convinced her brother Tim McKinstry, a professional musician and director of the Township Line Music School, to be the composer.
The show consists of seven musical numbers and is based on the fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. The cast is made up of more than 20 children, ages 8 to 14, but the show is aimed at all ages. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door, or for more information call 215-782-1704. ••
Columnist William Feldman can be contacted by e-mail at wmkidscolumn@aol.com