Goodwill games.
That’s just one name people are calling the Johnston Football League’s six games Panther football squads will play Sunday at Mayor Joseph M. Polisena Stadium against the CLCF Chiefs.
“These games will be more than just the x’s and o’s, wins and losses, who scores touchdowns, etc.,” Gary Salzillo, the popular president of the Johnston Youth Football League, wants it known. “This is our turn to help a neighbor and friends.”
Sunday’s six-game schedule, which will begin with a Flag Football contest at 8:30 a.m., will directly benefit the Jaxon Marocco Foundation that has launched an ambitious fundraising campaign to build a handicapped-accessible playground for children at the John Chafee Athletic & Recreation Complex at 26 Mystery Farms Road in Cranston.
The playground will also be open to children without special needs.
Jaxon Gregory Marocco was the son of Mark and Tori Marocco, and was born on Sept. 14, 2014 and lived to be just 22 months old.
At four months old, Jaxon was diagnosed with an extremely rare and fatal generic disease called Niemann-Pick Type A, which is a lysosomal storage disease that has no treatments or a cure.
“Mark and Tori were told that Jaxon would never live to his second birthday,” Salzillo explained earlier this week. “We in the Panthers organization have many healthy children; needless to say a tragedy like this hits home and that’s why we want to help the Marocco family build the playground in his memory.”
So, Salzillo announced that the first 300 people who donate $5 at Polisena Stadium Sunday will receive a special T-shirt and that money will go directly to the Jaxon Marocco Foundation.
Yet another way Salzillo and the Panthers hope to generate additional revenue for the Foundation is by donating 20 percent of all gate receipts from Sunday’s six games.
“We’re hoping we have the largest crowd ever for our home games,” Salzillo said. “While we’re honored to help the Foundation, our hearts go out to Mark and Tori for losing their son. It taught everyone not to take one second for granted.”
Jaxon Marocco was the grandson of Steve Marocco, who has for years owned and operated Elmwood Sports in Cranston, where the Panthers – as well as other youth sports organization like CLCF (Cranston’s League for Cranston’s Future) – purchase uniforms and equipment.
“We’re playing these games for Jax,” Salzillo said of Sunday’s slate. “The cost of the playground is approximately $90,000 and that’s a lot of money for any non-profit to raise. Although the Foundation has many forms of sponsorships, such as buying a brick, we’re asking our Johnston Panther football family to join us Sunday when any donation will be greatly appreciated.”
People who’d like more information about the Jaxon Marocco Foundation should call (401) 602-0389.
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