Anyone not living under a rock knows Manville was one of the hardest hit communities in New Jersey after the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept across the Northeast.
And, sadly, the Manville Youth Athletic League was not spared.
The Manville Youth Athletic League is all volunteer, offering various athletic programs for the children of the boro, and surrounding local towns, including football, cheerleading, and wrestling.
It’s headquarters at Gerber Field along Dukes Parkway East – on the banks of the Raritan River – took on several feet of water, damaging equipment, fields and the building itself.
A Gofundme page has been set up to benefit the MYAL, with a goal of $10,000. So far, $900 has been raised.
According to the page, “While our proud citizens always provide monetary donations, right now they are simply too beholden to their own personal financial hardships to contribute to M.Y.A.L. We are humbly reaching out to our neighboring towns, organizations and friends to ask for help.”
Manville was decimated by Ida’s remnants, with hundreds upon hundreds of homes and businesses damaged, many ruined beyond repair.
On the Manville high school football team alone, four student-athletes lost their homes, now a total loss. But after their teammates helped them, they all helped the rest of the neighborhood.
Listen to their story here:
And while the high school team was able to open its season Friday with a 48-6 road win at Dunellen, and now plays its next two games at Ned Panfile Stadium, its home grounds off North 13th street, things are looking bleak for the Manville Youth Athletic League.
“A few weeks ago our children were bursting with excitement as they kicked off practice for the fall seasons of football and cheer,” the Gofundme page says. “If you have the wherewithal to assist, we would greatly appreciate it and will ensure that every cent is used to rebuild and restore so that our children can continue playing their hearts out for the sports they love.”
It goes on to say, “There are more challenges and pressures today than every before for our youth and giving them access to team sports provides so many healthy and necessary benefits for them- please help us ensure our children can continue the proud tradition of Mustang pride through the M.Y.A.L.!”