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JAMESTOWN, NY (WNY News Now) — Last year, a local educator walked from Jamestown to Highmark Stadium to raise money for two worthy causes, including Harrison’s Playmaker’s.
Now this educator, Patrick Smeraldo of Collaborative Children’s Solutions, wants to expand Harrison’s Playmer’s into Chautauqua County.
“What Harrison Phillip’s and his board have built, not in just Western New York, he has a great group in WNY, is also in Omaha, Nebraska and he’s establishing his group in Minneapolis because he’s a Viking. I can’t replicate that, I can’t do what he did in those three cities. But what I can do is help him expand in Chautauqua County and that’s realistically the goal,” says Smeraldo.
The group gives kids with developmental differences and special needs the opportunity to play sports and share experiences they would likely not otherwise have.
While Harrison is away, three Buffalo Bills help fill in for events; Reggie Gillam, Quinton Morris, and Tommy Doyle.
“He has a camp at the stadium in Buffalo in June, so the goal is and they’ve told me, ‘hey, we’re gonna get you a bus, bring us some kids.’ And those events that we can build upon, whether it’s a much more focused event up there that I can get kids transported there or they’re actually in Chautauqua County doing those things which he’s mentioned,” says Smeraldo.
This extension would add onto the list of services already available in the county like the Special Olympics, the Resource Center, CESA, unified sports in Frewsburg, Southwestern, Fredonia, and Jamestown.
Families who are interested in taking part are asked to contact Collaborative Children’s Solutions on Facebook or via email to ccsolutions716@gmail.com.
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