Members of the Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) chapter in Farmingdale are sponsoring their fifth annual Charity Softball Challenge on Sunday, July 29 at Firemen's Park in Lindenhurst. The Farmingdale Fire Department, News Channel 12, KeySpan Energy and the members of the Village of Lindenhurst are expected to compete in the fund raiser beginning at 3 p.m. to benefit the Families of SMA.

Farmingdale resident Rosemary Yenzer, whose 5-year-old daughter Victoria is a victim of the disease, organizes the majority of the event each year. Each year, families who are members of the Farmingdale chapter sell raffle tickets for prizes and gifts donated by those who did not contribute monetarily. In addition, local businesses provide inning sponsorships to the organization. Last year, the association raised over $20,000 and hope to garner an equal or greater amount at this year's fund raiser.

SMA, found primarily in children and the number one killer of children under the age of two, is a disease that children inherit from their parents. One in 40 adults carry the SMA gene and in order for a child to contract the disease both parents must be carriers. SMA is a progressive and sometimes fatal disease which directly effects the voluntary muscles located in the spinal cord and mainly hinders children from walking, head and neck control and even swallowing.

Since many of the families associated in the Farmingdale chapter have children who are victims of the disease, the annual charity softball game acts as a primary means of raising funds for the association. Yenzer explained that many families who are members of the chapter don't have many opportunities to raise awareness in their community since much of their days are occupied with caring for their children and working.

"Just touching one person out there, knowing that one individual was effected and made better aware of the disease makes it worth everything; worth all the work we do," Yenzer said last year after the fund raiser, adding that each year she walks around the Village of Farmingdale and distributes flyers and posters promoting the fund raiser.

Local residents who would like to help support the Families of SMA may either come down to the softball game next Sunday, may send donations to the organization's New York chapter at P.O. Box 1182, West Babylon, NY 11704, or contact their national headquarters at P.O. Box 196 Libertyville, IL. 60048-0196.