Bethlehem residents Joe and Aurora Brunovsky are celebrating their 5th year raising money for those in need with a charitable softball game on August 18th in Whitehall PA. The Brunovsky’s started the Give Back LV Softball Tournament (GBLVST) in 2013 and to date have raised over $25,000 for various non-profits all around the valley. The Give Back LV Softball tournament was started with the mission of providing a fun opportunity to do some good and help “Give Back” right here in the Lehigh Valley. Every year Joe and Aurora pick a different non-profit here in the area to support and fundraise on their behalf. Since its inception, the GBLSVT has raised over $25,000 for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Cancer Support Community, The Nam Knights of the Lehigh Valley, and Logan’s Heroes Animal Rescue. The event brings in hundreds of players, volunteers and many local sponsors from all around the area.
This year’s tournament is helping raise money for a very relevant issue that has been plaguing the Lehigh Valley for the past few years, and that is the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic. On January 10, 2018 Governor Tom Wolfe declared the heroin and opioid epidemic a state wide disaster emergency. Joe and Aurora Brunovsky have heard the call and collaborated with the Center for Humanistic Change (CHC) located in Allentown to do something about it. The CHC provides heroin and opioid education and prevention training to various members of our community with the hope to stop the issue that is affecting our youth. From Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, 2017, at least 243 people died because of drug use in Lehigh and Northampton counties, according to coroner reports. The CHC attempts to reduce these numbers by stopping addiction before it even starts.
The Give Back LV Softball Tournament will be held on August 18th, starting at 9AM at Schadt Avenue Park in Whitehall PA. The event will have various slow pitch softball games, silent auctions and a 50/50 raffle. Please come out and help support this amazing cause and make a change to our future.
The newly elected Mayor of Whitehall, Michael Harakal Jr will also be in attendance to help kick off the event and speak about how heroin and opioids are effecting our local area. Mayor Harakal feels that Joe and Aurora Brunovsky are doing amazing work and wishes to provide his support to help those in need right here in the Lehigh Valley.
“The Give Back LV Softball Tournament was formed with the number one purpose of doing something good. By changing the charity every year we have no agenda for a specific cause, other than doing what’s right.” – Joe Brunovsky
“I believe that if you have everything you need in life, it is everyone’s duty to Give Back to those in need. This is our way of Giving Back and helping those right here in our backyard. If we can make a difference in one person’s life by having this event each year, then I feel we have done our duty.” – Aurora Brunovsky
For more information visit GiveBackSoftball.com or come to the event on August 18th at Schadt Avenue Park located at 1975 Schadt Ave, Whitehall, PA 18052. For more information on the CHC visit www.thechc.org.
Information provided by:
Joe and Aurora Brunovsky
