It was Team Treyger vs. the Coney Island Autism Angels in a charity softball game, last night, at MCU Park in Coney Island, which donated it’s stadium use for the cause.
Coney Island City Councilman Mark Treyger, captain of Team Treyger, had a roster of family, friends, employees and officers from the 60th precinct playing at the Brooklyn Cyclones home ballfield..
Anthony Droz, 39, captain of the Coney Island Autism Angels, is also the founder of the non-profit organization. As he and his wife Veronica raised their daughter who has Autism, they came to the realization that much of the community around them was unaware of the Autism spectrum. They took action to set out to raise awareness, create acceptance and help children in their community as a whole.
“With awareness comes acceptance,” said Droz.
In August, the Autism Angels will be having a book bag drive, like they did last year, having distributed over 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to the children of the Coney Island Community. All of the proceeds from the softball game will be used to fund their next drive.
“It is a true pleasure to work with an organization like the Coney Island Autism Angels. They don’t just deal with personal problems, they’ve reached a community level. This is the least we can do to give back and provide them with additional support,” said Treyger. “I always like to say, it’s not about what we can’t do, it’s about what we can do,” he added.
Kings County’s Supreme Court Judge Mark Partnow and Nancy Tong, female district leader of the Democratic Party in the 47th District of the State Assembly, were in attendance, showing their support for both teams.
Team Treyger won the game 10-8, but the real winner was the the Coney Island Autism Angels and the people with autism and their families that they serve as $1,335 was raised.
