Warwick youth roller hockey gears up for fundraising
Warwick Last year, Jim DeSotle got behind an idea to build a roller hockey rink here in Warwick. A member of the town’s Recreation Committee, DeSotle travels to New Jersey each week to play in a roller hockey league. He and a small group of people are in the planning process of building the rink at the Town Park on Union Corners Road, alongside the soccer fields. Now, they are beginning to fund raise. “In an effort to raise the necessary funding, we are hosting a golf outing and dinner on June 28 at Farmstead Golf and Country Club in Lafayette, N.J.,” said DeSotle. Lafayette is less than 30 minutes from Warwick and the event begins at 1:30 p.m. This type of project is not new to DeSotle. He was involved in building a rink in Oakland, N.J., about seven years ago. The Warwick rink is planned to be four-foot high fiberglass boards on the bottom, topped with five feet of chain-link fencing on top. It will measure regulation size of 80-by-120 feet and cost between $60,000 and $70,000. The blacktop is already in place. The hockey league would be run by a private group, just like the town’s soccer, baseball and football leagues. Maintenance would be provided, in large part, by the league. DeSotle sees the rink open to the public as well as the league he hopes to create. For those no able to make the golf event, DeSotle said tee sponsorships are available for $100. “Families or businesses can prominently display their message or advertisement on a designated tee box,” said DeSotle. “Businesses that would like to support this youth program can do so through tee sponsorships, or donation of goods or services that can be raffled off.” A couple of the prizes that will be raffled are a foursome and dinner at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, N.J., valued at $1,000 and a set of irons. Prizes will be awarded for longest drive, closest to the pin, most accurate drive, low gross, low net, most honest golfer and a car give-away for a hole in one. Tickets for golf, cart and dinner are $110. Tickets for those who just want to have dinner are $50. Anyone interested in joining the outing should contact DeSotle at 845-544-1139, or send a check made payable to the Warwick Roller Hockey Association to 26 Southwyke Lane Warwick, N.Y. 10990. All donations are tax-deductible. “We are also looking for volunteers to help build the rink,” said DeSotle. “All are welcome. Those with experience in carpentry, fence installation and paving and excavation are particularly needed.”