Community Goes to Bat for Parents Feeling the Pinch

They had one word for the cross-country trip last month to see their sons play in the Little League World Series: priceless.

Their credit card bills are evidence to the contrary.

But the financial struggles of the parents who journeyed to Williamsport, Pa., to watch the Cypress Federal Little League all-stars have not gone unnoticed in their hometown. And although the 27 families who maxed out credit cards and borrowed from friends and family have not asked for help, the Cypress community answered anyway.

At least $3,800 already has been collected, including $700 raised Tuesday night at a local McDonald’s. The money will be used to defray the $23,260 the parents spent on plane tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars and meals.

In addition, the City Council decided Wednesday to refer people wishing to make Little League donations to the Parents Fund. The council declined to donate taxpayer money to the effort but did forward a $200 donation from a law firm to the Parents Fund.

“I had no idea they were considering doing this,” said Linda Wingo, whose son Zachary plays shortstop. She said she would never regret making the trip--where the 11- and 12-year-olds on the team fell short of making the finals--but the costs stacked up.

“Let’s put it this way: I’m a single mother bringing up a 12-year-old son. It sure would help pay some bills,” she said.

For Ellen Crooks, the Cypress resident behind the fund-raising effort, trying to help the parents just seemed like the thing to do. Crooks, active in Little League for 16 years, said she watched the team play from behind her post at the concession stand.

“I knew how good they were, and I decided if they made it all the way, I would start a fund to help the parents,” she said.

Crooks wasted no time. She kept a 2-foot-high plastic bank in the shape of a soda-pop bottle hidden in a bag at the Little League Western Regional Final game Aug. 20 in San Bernardino. When the game-winning home run was struck in extra innings, she pulled out the bottle and started soliciting.

So far she’s taken the piggy-bank labeled “Donations for Cypress Parents Fund to Williamsport” to concerts, restaurants and ballgames.

All funds collected on behalf of the parents will go into an account at Union Bank in Cypress. When the account is closed sometime later this month, it will be divided equally among the parents.

“When they made it to the World Series, it wasn’t even a question,” said Diane Swims, whose son Matt hit the two-run homer in San Bernardino that sent the team to the series. “It was just one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. So you’re going to do it and worry about it later.”

Swims, a single mother of two boys, said community efforts have kept those worries away so far.

“It’s very heartwarming,” she said. “I can’t believe the support we’ve gotten from the community.”