Christian Corbezzolo went into action after his Little League’s fielding area flooded in late June.
The 11-year old was dedicated to helping the Rancocas Valley Little League, an organization that he has been playing in for three years, bounce back after the damage.
He did this by rallying the community around the league.
“I thought not many people would pitch in, but a lot of people did,” Christian said.
In late June the damage from the weather and storms to the Little League’s playing area in Mount Holly became extensive. The snack bar is destroyed, along with baseball equipment and appliances.
The damage to the snack bar hurts the league the most as it is the main source of revenue to support the league, according to officials.
“The whole concession stand and back storage room were about two to two and half feet under water. The dry wall, floors, dishwasher, freezer, refrigerator, PA system and back storage room were all damaged,” said Erica Mortimer, Christian’s mother. “The league sponsors a lot of children as well with the equipment they store in back storage room.”
She showed Christian the extensive damage from social media on her phone from then on he was determined to do something.
A Go Fund Me page was created with a $5,000 first step goal, and by July 23, the donated funds have surpassed that goal to total $5,510.
“This was just a good starting point. Christian and I just wanted to help do our part in helping raise the money for this first step. These funds raised I highly doubt will be enough because of the extent of the damage,” Mortimer said.
She said she was surprised by the outpouring of community support for the league to help get things back on track.
“Originally Christian and I just put it out on a Facebook page and I did not think it would take off like it did. We were just pleasantly surprised with how everyone had been,” Mortimer said.
One of those supporters is Danielle Klein who is a franchise owner of a Philly Pretzel Factory in Lumberton Plaza.
“She offered up her back room at her business for donated items and storage. Everyone has just been so generous with what we are trying to do,” Mortimer said.
She said it will take a village to get the area back to the standing it was prior to the damage.
“One person cannot do this alone. As far as the fields go the children can play on the field right now. They have been able to use the fields,” Mortimer said. “The concession stand is unable to be used, because they have to gut it and redesign it.”
For Christian the Rancocas Valley Little League is where he found friends who became family.
“It was very important to get back on the field as quickly as possible because I wanted to just play,” Christian said.
To donate to the Rancocas Valley Little League go fund me page, visit www.gofundme.com/f/rv-little-league-flood-recovery.
