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West Branch student's legacy continues
Monday, June 18, 2012
LANSE - They were his two loves - music and sports. It is only fitting that Bryan Ennis is remembered by his family and friends in those ways. The Philipsburg RD boy died March 8, 2005, at age 11.
Since his unexpected death, the West Branch community has rallied around his family and memorialized the boy in many ways. On Saturday, Martha's' Park in Lanse will host the eighth annual Bryan G Ennis Memorial Baseball Benefit. "It's easy to remember the good things with Bryan," said his father, Jeff Ennis. "It's easy to do something like this because he loved baseball with a passion."
Bryan was also entering his final year of Minor League baseball when he died. His father recalled Bryan just a week before his death, reminding him that signups were coming up shortly.
One of the older kids on the Lanse Blue team, Bryan told his father how he could help coach just one week before his death.
Bryan won't be at the Lanse Little League Field at Martha's Park swinging the bat, but he will be there in spirit as the entire Four Leaf Clover Minor League program gathers for a memorial tournament and carnival in his name.
All Minor League teams - two each from Lanse, Morrisdale-Hawk Run and Bradford as well as one each from Kylertown, West Decatur-Wallaceton, Frenchville and Grassflat-Drifting - gather to play for fun, not for standings. Ennis compared it to Founder's Day, which is at the Little League level.
When the event was originally started the year Bryan died, it was run as a tournament, but Jeff Ennis, who still stays close to his son's former team, as well as the League president, said the tournament format works better with older children.
He said the event has evolved into a community-wide event that offers more than just baseball. There are games for all ages, a fast pitch guessing game, Bounce house and slide for the children and Chinese auction with more than 100 prizes that have been donated by area businesses and individuals. There will be other surprises for everyone.
Ennis said it was important to his family to make the daylong event an affordable, family-oriented one. Prices range from 50 cents to $1 for games to no more than $2.50 for some food items. There is something for everyone, such as hot dogs and hamburgers, to Italian sausage, pierogies, haluski, meatball subs, snow cones, pizza, walking tacos and desserts and many more items.
Festivities kick off at 10 a.m. and wrap up around 4 p.m., he said. In the event of rain, the event will be rescheduled to July 1.
Just as the benefit concert held earlier this month, all proceeds from the baseball benefit and carnival go to the memorial scholarship fund, which in turn is given to three graduating seniors from Clearfield, Curwensville, Glendale, Moshannon Valley, Philipsburg Osceola and West Branch area school districts.
It's a day of fun for the players and families of the Four Leaf Minor League system as well as the community of Lanse.
Anyone wishing to donate an item for the Chinese auction or the scholarship fund or volunteering to work the day of the event (which is greatly needed) is appreciated and should contact Jeff Ennis at 342-1893 or Tim Ennis at 343-4731.
Jeff Ennis said the community support has helped his family cope with the loss of Bryan. "It's given us a positive focus," said Jeff Ennis. "The only thing Bryan can give now is something for someone else."
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