BY THOMAS ELLIS II
COVER PHOTO BY LORRAINE WILSON
GALLERY PHOTOS BY THOMAS ELLIS II
On Friday, June 20, there was a softball game played under the lights on Houston Stevens Field in Ivy Hill Park. It was the annual Enough of the Violence Project and Ivy Hill Little League Stop the Violence Game.
The game is played for a cause: Gun Violence Awareness Month. The first Stop the Violence game was played in Vailsburg Park in 2011 after an umpire was brutally attacked in Vailsburg after the game was over.
The Enough of the Violence Project and Ivy Hill Little League teamed up and have played this game since. Coaches, parents, and the community also held a cookout during the game was played.
Orange is the color for National Gun Violence Awareness Month, and several players, fans, and coaches wore orange t-shirts as a show of support.
One thing about this event is that it brings the community together in a fun way with everyone enjoying themselves in a safe space.
All the players were hitting, running, making plays, and kept the game exciting every inning. The final score saw the Stop the Killing team coached by Coach Ellis beat the Stop the Violence coached by Coach Eddie 6-5.
A very special thanks to umpire Houston Stevens for calling a great game, and to our supporters, Greater Providence Church Pastor Vick, Pastor Paul Valerius, Askok Lalan, owner of 711 Bergen Ave. Jersey City, April Cox, Melvin Sims, IHNA, John Johnson, the parents, the community, and Local Talk Newspaper. We could not have done it without you.
This game was dedicated to all those who have lost a loved one to gun violence, or is a survivor of gun violence.
