217 Wiffle Ball Classic Continues To Grow While Raising Money For Alzheimer’s

Players, volunteers and spectators gathered this week at E-P Field in Decatur for the 11th Annual 217 Wiffle Ball Classic.

What started as a one-day backyard wiffle ball tournament has grown into much more than a weekend of baseball. The event brings together teams, families, businesses and volunteers while raising money for Alzheimer’s awareness, research and support for families affected by the disease.

Jeanie Parker says the event began with her son, Ethan, who wanted to organize a wiffle ball tournament when he was just 12 years old.

The first tournament featured just six teams. Ethan’s great-grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease, so the family chose the cause because it was near and dear to their hearts.

Parker says she has watched that small tournament grow into the event it is today.

The 217 Wiffle Ball Classic now features dozens of teams, with volunteers working throughout the event to keep games moving, serve food, organize raffles and welcome supporters from across the region.

And while the competition on the field is certainly part of the attraction, Parker says the mission has always been bigger than winning games.

Thanks to the support of nearly 58 sponsors, Parker says the event has now raised nearly 85-thousand dollars.

The fundraising helps support the event’s mission to fight Alzheimer’s disease and provide support and resources for people and families affected by it.

Parker says the growth of the event is something she never expected when Ethan first came up with the idea.

The organization has now expanded beyond wiffle ball, adding sand volleyball and other events throughout the year.

Many participants return year after year, making the 217 Wiffle Ball Classic as much of a reunion as it is a fundraiser.

Families, businesses and community organizations all play a role through sponsorships, volunteering and participation.

And for those who want to get involved, Parker says there is a little bit of advice for anyone looking to start a team.

She encourages new players to join an existing team first because space is limited.

That’s also because the teams take the competition seriously.

Players keep track of their statistics, have their own jerseys, and, of course, bragging rights are on the line.

Several awards are also presented during the event, including a sportsmanship award.

Parker says she is proud of the vision Ethan had when he was just 12 years old, but she also knows the event would not be possible without the people who continue to show up and support it.

She says the growth has been slow and steady, but one moment during this year’s event really stood out.

The executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association traveled from Chicago to speak about the organization’s work and explain where money raised through events like the 217 Wiffle Ball Classic goes.

Parker says hearing directly about the impact of the money raised was very moving.

For Parker and the many people who have helped build the event, the 217 Wiffle Ball Classic has become about much more than a game.

It is a way to bring people together, honor loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s disease and raise money in the continuing fight for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.