NEWPORT, NH– This year will be Newport firefighter Corey Conroy’s first time participating in and fundraising for the CHaD Battle of the Badges Baseball Game. On Friday afternoon, he met up with his CHaD buddy, Karina, at the Newport Fire-EMS to get to know her and her family. Conroy was enthused to be a part of the upcoming charity event, as well as the chance to help out great families.
Conroy said, “I am super excited for the opportunity to play in my first Battle of the Badges Baseball game, but I am more excited for the opportunity to meet amazing families like Karina’s and be able to raise money for an amazing organization like CHaD.”
Karina had her kidney damaged at birth due to an infection, and she has been getting care at CHaD since she was five years old. She is a 12 year old girl that loves to play sports whenever the gets the chance. “She’ll play anything,” said Jennifer Jones, Karina’s mother. “Softball, cross country, ice hockey, figure skating, basketball, soccer… as long as she’s healthy, she’s playing.”
On his CHaD Buddy, Conroy said, “Karina is such an amazing girl. She has been with CHaD since 5 days old and even through all her health issues and drawbacks she is always pushing to be the best… she is always smiling. Karina is such an inspiration because she doesn’t let her ailments hold her down. Karina has such an amazing family and extremely supportive in everything she does, it’s such an honor to be able to meet such an amazing young lady and her family. I am grateful for the opportunity to not just meet a CHaD Buddy but also a continued family bond for life.”
On what the event means to her, Jennifer said, “It means a lot, because the Life Services that benefits from all this is the backbone for when you’re stuck up there. If the kids need anything, it is the Life Services people at CHaD that enable that. They treat us excellent, absolutely… nothing but good things to say about [CHaD]. I couldn’t say anything bad about any of the doctors, nurses, technicians, anyone that we have dealt with. Even when they’re not there, they reach out and check in. You’re not just in there and then they forget about you, it’s very personal. It’s an incredible hospital.”
Kevin Jones, Karina’s father, brought up a memory of a time CHaD allowed Karina to have some fun with her dance team while being admitted in the hospital. He said, “One time, they let her out of the hospital, she danced at the center of the ice at the Monarchs game, and then we had to have her admitted back the next day. They were awesome, they sent down the mascot with special gifts and everything. They totally take care of the kids. They send her passes to the race track and things like that, just to keep her in mind.”
Conroy wanted the Jones family to know that they are making a bigger impact on him then he is on them. On Friday, he said, “I don’t hope to make an impact on them only to feel that they made a friend throughout this processes. They have made an impact on me, on how they are such a close family and support each other through everything. This experience isn’t about playing baseball, that’s just the fun part, but it’s getting to understand what CHaD truly does and getting to know the family. It also helps to hear how great of an organization we have right in our backyard.”
If you’re looking to make a difference and donate to the CHaD cause, you can donate to Corey’s fundraiser by going to chadbaseball.org and donating under Corey Conroy. You can also purchase tickets on the site and write in Corey Conroy.
The 8th CHaD Battle of the Badges Baseball Classic presented by Faro Italian Grille will take place on Friday, August 10 at 6 p.m. Police officers and firefighters from across the state will meet up at the home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, to raise money for programs at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth- Hitchcock (CHaD). This year marks the second straight that the game is being held on a Friday night, following record fundraising and attendance in 2017. Over $103,000 was generated at last year’s game, with $92,000 of it coming by virtue of the players. Nearly 2,000 people took in the game, played under the lights and with fireworks post-game for the first time.
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