Donations Sought in SSHS Soccer Fundraiser for Rockaways

South Side High School will host the "Kick'in It for the Rockaways" Hurricane Sandy indoor soccer benefit Saturday in an effort to help families of the Rockaway Soccer Club.

Food and drink donations are currently being accepted for the fundraiser, as well as anyone who can donate items to be raffled off. If you would like to donate money, food, drinks or items for raffles, please contact Dorothy Hines at dorhines@aol.com.

The benefit grew wings after a mom from Belle Harbor reached out to her friend in Rockville Centre, resident Hillary Michelson.

According to Michelson, the Rockaway Soccer Club was destroyed during the October storm and lost everything, including equipment, uniforms, balls and nets.

Michelson said Rockaway families were taking their kids to the fields near the Verrazano Bridge "just to give their kids an escape from the nightmare, kick the ball around and feel a little bit normal, while the moms all sat on the sidelines and cried."

After hearing the story, Michelson reached out to Hines to see if there was anything the Rockville Centre soccer community could do.

"I didn't know Dorothy too well -- just through working on Red and Blue together last year -- but I was so lucky; I could not have picked a better person to call," Michelson said. "She has been incredible. She developed this whole fundraiser concept, she worked with the high school, the varsity coaches, the town's soccer club and created this unbelievable all day event at the school."

Saturday's benefit is set to begin at 9 a.m. when there will be a two-hour clinic where South Side varsity players will work with kids in kindergarten through third grade. There is a suggested donation of $20 to $30 to participate in the clinic.

More than 40 teams have registered for Saturday's tournament. Round robin brackets will start at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at 7 p.m.

There will be bins for donations new and gently used soccer equipment, as well as concessions, raffles and blue Sandy benefit T-shirts for sale for $15.

"We encourage everyone to come down and make a donation while watching some great soccer," Hines said. "... All proceeds raised raised from our benefit will go directly to the families of the Rockaway Soccer Club that were devastated from Hurricane Sandy."

Reminder: Any and all emails questions regarding Saturday's fundraiser should be sent to Dorothy Hines at dorhines@aol.com.