Sticks for Soldiers Thanksgiving Lacrosse Classic

Fairfield Connecticut

The 8th Annual Sticks for Soldiers Classic will be held again this fall at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, Fairfield, Conn. on Saturday November 30th 2013.

Sticks For Soldiers is a charity lacrosse tournament held in Fairfield, Connecticut to raise money for wounded troops. The primary mission of this tournament is to provide support and give thanks to the service men and women who put their lives on the line and sacrificed for our country.

Raising money and creating awareness
A worthwhile secondary objective is create a mature awareness among high school athletes to the unseen sacrifices being made on their behalf by people just a few years older than themselves. Through their play and fund-raising participation, the athletes can demonstrate their tangible thanks and support.

Over $225,000 raised since 2006
The tournament, held always on Thanksgiving Saturday, has raised $225,000 in 7 years, and is an anticipated regional fall-ball competition. Varsity and sub-varsity teams from Tri- State area high schools will participate in a 7-on-7 tournament game format and each team will play at least 3 games. Team entry fees, T- shirt sales, silent auction, sponsors, raffles and private donations will be donated to this year's cause. The tournament usually will start at 9:00 am and conclude by approximately 3:30 pm with a mid-day ceremony to honor the beneficiaries.

2012 Tournament Honorees
The 2012 tournament honored and supported two Connecticut soldiers. US Amy Captain Greg Galeazzi, of Glastonbury, and USMC Sgt. Greg Caron of Ellington. They both are recovering from bi-lateral leg amputations and other critical injuries received in Afghanistan in 2011.  46 high school boys and girls lacrosse teams participated, and over $65,000 was raised,and net proceeds were given to Greg and Greg in March 2013.

On May 26th, 2011 Cpt. Galeazzi, an Army Ranger, was seriously wounded while conducting a dismounted patrol in Kandahar Province. The blast caused severe injuries to his legs, requiring above the knee amputations on both limbs, and his right arm was critically damaged. Greg is an Eagle Scout, graduate of Glastonbury High school, and a 2007 graduate of the Loyola University (Md.) AROTC program. Greg has been located at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX, a distance from family and friends, where he continues his recovery and rehabilitation.

USMC Sgt.(ret) Greg Caron of Ellington, Conn., lost both his lower legs and suffered nerve damage in a booby-trapped IED explosion in Afghanistan the day after Veteran’s Day last November, 2011. Following life-saving filed medical care and quick transport to Germany, Greg was taken to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. There, he received extensive wound treatment, physical therapy and prosthetic training though the last several months of rehabilitation. Greg Caron is a graduate of Ellington High School, where he excelled as a varsity athlete in soccer and basketball. He and his wife are now adjusting to their lives in Connecticut. It is planned that the Sticks For Soldiers donation, together with that of several other non-profits, will help contribute to building a home for Greg and his family in Ellington.

We are making a difference, and you can help
The 2011 tournament honored three soldiers from Connecticut and
New York and raised over $50,000. The 2011 efforts supported three severely-injured servicemen: USMC Sgt. Liam Dwyer of Litchfield, Connecticut; Army Pfc. Josh Budd of Cheshire, Connecticut; and USAF Tech Sgt. Joe Wilkinson of Troy, New York. They each suffered injuries in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan or Operation Iraqi Freedom. read more about these fine men on the 2011 Honorees page

In 2010, over $60,000 was raised. The funds raised were donated entirely toward the construction of a wheelchair accessible home for Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco of nearby Staten Island NY (see Brendan’s story on our page dedicated to Brendan). A total of 24 teams from CT and NJ participated in the 2010 event. The Ludlowe Lacrosse family of Fairfield, Connecticut would like to thank everyone for their generous support of this past year's event.

In December 2010, a group of Fairfield Ludlowe players had the opportunity to travel to Staten Island to meet with Brendan and to see first hand the construction of Brendan’s new home. Inside Lacrosse did featured article about the event which appeared in the Feburary issue. Click Here To View The Link

For more on Brendan’s Story please see the web page we have dedicated to Specialist Marrocco.

If interested in additional information or to secure a team spot in the 2012 event please contact or Jim Tommins, Tournament Director for 2012 at jtommins@yahoo.com  or Mike Voucas, Founder at mike.voucas@yellowbook.com.

Donations may be sent to:
Sticks For Soldiers, Inc.
Treasurer
PO Box 475, Fairfield CT 06824-0475

Checks made payable to:
Sticks for Soldiers Inc. ,
memo note 2012 FLHS Lax

Contact Jim Tommins jtommins@yahoo.com for more information

  US Army Cpt. Greg Galeazzi USMC Sgt. Greg Caron