DEA Assists With Donation Of Baseball Equipment From New Jersey To Puerto Rico
NORTHFIELD, N.J. - The Drug Enforcement (DEA) Atlantic City Resident Office has joined forces with the Northfield Little League to assist in getting donated baseball equipment from New Jersey to little league players in Puerto Rico.
Players from the Northfield Little League in Northfield, New Jersey have collected baseball equipment to be donated to the Loiza Little League in Loiza, Puerto Rico, and Little Leagues located in Barranquitas, Orocovis and/or Ciales, located in central Puerto Rico. The players in Puerto Rico receiving the equipment are between 6 - 9 years old. These areas are identified as having high unemployment rates which has a negative effect on the children being able to purchase baseball equipment.
Glen Donahue, a coach with the Northfield Little League, came up with the idea after visiting his brother in Puerto Rico. Glen’s brother, Matthew, is the Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Caribbean Division, based in San Juan. During the visit Glen saw many children playing baseball, but many without the proper equipment, some even in bare feet. He made the suggestion to his brother that the Northfield Little League might be able to help. This set the ball in motion. The DEA office in Puerto Rico contacted the DEA in Newark to assist with collecting the donations and getting them to Puerto Rico.
Carl J. Kotowski, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New Jersey Division said, “We were more than happy to assist in this endeavor when we were approached by our counterparts in Puerto Rico. Providing children with this equipment will give them the opportunity to stay involved in athletics. If they are involved in sports or other activities there is less chance they will be involved in activities that can lead to trouble.”
Matthew G. Donahue, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Caribbean Division said, “Our Community Outreach Program complements our law enforcement efforts. Baseball, and any other sports and activities for that matter, can make a tremendous difference in children’s lives. The DEA Caribbean Division Office is extremely grateful to the Northfield Little League in New Jersey and also thanks our DEA Office in Newark for making this initiative possible and going out of their way to make kid’s lives across the Caribbean a little better and more exciting.”
The little leaguers from Northfield came through by donating enough bats, gloves, balls, helmets, cleats, sneakers, and clothing to outfit several teams in Puerto Rico. Arrangements are now being made by DEA to ship the equipment to the DEA office in San Juan.
