Play It Forward
The Armstrong family is sporty. Children Elizabeth and Lachlan have been playing sports since they were preschoolers. As piles of used sports equipment stacked up, the Edgewater family made a plan.
“Sports equipment is expensive,” says 14-year-old Elizabeth, who plays basketball for the South River Shooters. “When we thought about all the sporting goods our family and friends’ families have, we realized that if we put in the effort, we might really make a difference.”
With help from mom Kim Elek and dad Paul Armstrong, plus the support of Annapolis Recreation and Parks and Leadership Anne Arundel, the Armstrong kids came up with the Armstrong Pass, Pick and Play Initiative.
Both Elizabeth and Lachlan, age 12, presented their idea to classes at Key School and to the congregation at Calvary United Methodist Church.
The plan is to collect and distribute gently used sporting equipment to area children and families who may not be able to afford the gear.
Clean out your basement, attic and garages and bring your gently used sporting goods to one of several local drop-off locations: Pip Moyer Recreation Center at Truxtun Park at 273 Hilltop Lane; Annapolis City Hall at 160 Duke of Gloucester; Calvary UMC at 301 Rowe Blvd; The Key School at 534 Hillsmere Blvd; Historic London Town and Gardens at 839 Londontown Road, Edgewater.
Pass, Pick and Play is accepting equipment in good condition for baseball and softball, basketball, field hockey, golf, hockey and skating, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and volleyball. Cleats for all sports are also needed. Donations are accepted through March 19.
Don’t bring weights, bicycles, bicycle helmets, sneakers or broken or damaged items.
This equipment will be made available, at no cost to families in need, during a daylong celebration on April 1 from 10am to 3pm at the Pip Moyer Recreation Center.
“Any leftover donations we will try to place with those who cannot attend the April event,” Elek says. “After that we will donate to other organizations or store it for a future event. We’d love to make this an annual happening.”
For more information or to volunteer: Kimberly Elek, [email protected], or Katy Owings, Annapolis Recreation and Parks, [email protected].