Panico, Sheriff Toulon Team Up for Tri-Hamlet Home Run Derby

A little friendly competition helped make a big difference for local families this past week as Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico joined the Tri-Hamlet Sports League for its Third Annual Charity Home Run Derby at Robert Miller Memorial Park in Mastic Beach.

Panico pledged $50 for every home run he hit, and Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. stepped up to match the donation. That meant every ball Panico sent over the fence generated $100 for the league. Together, their pledges resulted in an $800 donation to support the league's young athletes and help families manage the costs of youth sports.

The event also raised money for the New York Cancer and Blood Foundation, giving the afternoon an added charitable purpose beyond the baseball diamond.

Members of the Suffolk County Police Department's Seventh Precinct also joined in the festivities, showing their support for the league and the community.

For Panico, the event carried a special meaning. Having grown up playing baseball on the very same fields at Robert Miller Memorial Park, the Home Run Derby offered him an opportunity to give back to a place that played a role in his own childhood.

Panico said he was hoping to hit a few home runs to raise money for the children who now have the opportunity to play in the league. He also credited Tri-Hamlet Sports Commissioner Rich Valletta for working through the rainy conditions to get the fields ready for the event.

The sheriff's matching pledge came together after Panico mentioned his donation during a visit to Town Hall, where Toulon and members of his office stopped by to see the Sheriff's America 250 exhibits. Toulon offered to match the pledge on the spot.

It was a great example of community support, with local leaders, law enforcement and youth sports coming together to help make the game a little more accessible for Tri-Hamlet families.