I wanted to thank the many organizations who were responsible for bringing the recent Farmingdale Jumps program to our community. The event, featuring a basketball game between the Harlem Wizards and a team consisting of teachers and administrators from the Farmingdale School District, only took place because of the dedication and drive of the Farmingdale Community Summit Council, The Farmingdale Council of PTA's, Winning Beyond Winning and the school district.

Thanks go to the founder and president of the Summit, Tom Sabellico, it was his foresight and dedication to community that was behind the creation of the Summit in the first place, and his receptiveness and willingness to contribute that has made Farmingdale Jumps an annual event. Dr. Gerold and the Farmingdale School District, together with the PTA Council, brought the idea of Jumps to the Summit more than two and a half years ago, and the Summit embraced this idea from the start. Joan Tischner, PTA Council President and the PTA volunteers from all the schools deserve special recognition for taking on the responsibility of selling and accounting for all the ticket and T-shirt sales and performing ticket taking responsibility on game night. Special thanks also go to: Jeanne Berkosky, the physical education director and her staff for attending to every need of the Summit to assure that the game was presented in a safe and organized manner, Farmingdale Tornados coach, Mary Knight, who not only put the team together but also assisted with all the organizational aspects of the game and Mary Rogers, from Dr. Gerold's office, who somehow, kept all involved informed and in the loop.

I would also like to thank Winning Beyond Winning, another charitable organization which Tom Sabellico founded, and heads, for providing former professional athletes Jim "Mudcat" Grant, Ryne Duren, Fred Valentine and Bobby Jackson, who graciously signed autographs throughout the event. And thanks to the Wizards who provided a night of family entertainment and who were great with the crowd and especially the kids. An hour after the game was over they were still signing autographs in the gym.

There are countless others who also gave their time and worked behind the scenes to make this event happen. Thanks to all of them for making this, truly, a community event. And yes, the Farmingdale Summit has invited the Wizards back to provide another entertaining evening to the Farmingdale Community next year.

(Editors Note: Dan Kornfeld is an executive board member of the Farmingdale Community Summit Council and a member of the Farmingdale Jumps Committee.)

Dan Kornfeld