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JAMESTOWN, NY (WNY News Now) – A Chautauqua County educator is once again setting out on a big trek, going the extra mile to provide for local children.
Ahead of the November Bills and Vikings game, Collaborative Children’s Solutions owner Patrick Smeraldo plans to take on an impressive feat in order to fundraise money for two worthy causes.
“On November 11th, 12th, and 13th which is Veteran’s Day Weekend I’m going to walk from Jamestown in a few days to Orchard Park to Highmark Stadium to the Bills game in conjunction with Harrison Philips Harison’s Playmakers,” annonces Smeraldo.
Philips joined the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft as a defensive tackle. He was traded this year to the Minnesota Vikings.
While a Buffalo Bill, Philips created Harrison’s Playmakers, an organization that gives kids with developmental differences and special needs the opportunity to play sports and share experiences they would likely not otherwise have.
“There’s 53 men on a pro-football roster. There’s 32 teams in the NFL. It’s around 1600 almost 1700 individuals that are eligible for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Harrison’s been nominated back-to-back years for that honor. So 32 men out of almost 1700,” says Smeraldo.
Collaborative Children’s Solutions was able to connect with the group and bond over their shared passion for helping children.
“We have a family friend named Melissa Moore whose son Ollie is a Playmaker, lives in Buffalo, one of Harrison’s Playmakers. I’ve always seen the videos of him with Harrison’s group on Facebook. I messaged Melissa in the spring and just said, ‘this is really neat. So cool to see Ollie do this and the kids and enjoy that. If there’s ever a chance to get some kids from Chautauqua County involved in this group, I’d love to pursue that, look into that,’” explains Smeraldo.
The fundraiser will not only support Harrison’s Playmakers, but also, help the Stone family from Jamestown who have an annual fundraiser to support children in foster care.
“It was, we can do this. He’s coming to Buffalo in November to play with the Vikings and the Bills. That’s also National Adoption Month. It all just came together. And then I met with his folks and spoke with his board some more and said, ‘listen I think we can do this, this, and this.’ They’ve been gratuitous and really awesome to work with. Harrison wants to expand into Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County, and why wouldn’t you? With all the great things he does,” says Smeraldo.
This year, the Stone’s will be building birthday boxes for children in foster care to be donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Chautauqua County.
Donations can be made through an Amazon Wishlist or directly to the family. Learnmore online at CCSolutions716.com.
This is not the first time Smeraldo has walked great distances for charity. In August 2021 he walked around Chautauqua Lake as part of a summer camp fundraiser.
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