When Life Director of the Men's Association of the Garden City High School Ed Maher and Garden City Boys Varsity Lacrosse Coach Doc Dougherty started discussing the idea of an alumni lacrosse game back in 1991, little did they know that it would blossom into an annual event that would benefit dozens of seriously ill children and their families, but that's exactly what has happened. Ronald McDonald House has been the beneficiary.

Every year since 1993, the proceeds from the Annual Jay Gallagher Memorial Lacrosse Game at Garden City High School, sponsored by the Men's Association of Garden City, have been donated to Ronald McDonald House. Jay Gallagher was a former Garden City lacrosse star and Cornell great who succumbed to cancer in the prime of his life. According to Maher, "The first couple of years the turnout was o.k., by then Harry Blair and Rob Falk, two former Garden City players, stepped in and started getting the word out to players who had moved around and suddenly it just mushroomed."

In 1997, after the game netted a donation of $1,000, the story was picked up by Lacrosse Magazine. The article sparked a discussion between Hofstra's Head Lacrosse Coach John Danowski and Coach Dougherty about holding a high school lacrosse game at Hofstra in conjunction with a college matchup to raise even more money for Ronald McDonald House. Chaminade's Head Lacrosse Coach Jack Moran was also interested, and an idea was born.

On March 27, at 10 a.m. at Hofstra University Stadium, Garden City will face arch-rival Chaminade in a tough early season non-league test for both teams. The match-up features two of Nassau's perennially best teams and should provide an exciting prelude to an afternoon contest between 17th ranked Hoftstra University and 18th ranked University of Massachusetts. The Hoftsra - UMass game is currently scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Fans of Long Island lacrosse will have a full day of excitement.

The Men's Association of Garden City and Chaminade High School will be sharing the administrative cost of the field rental for the morning game, so all proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to Ronald McDonald House. As Coach Dougherty said, "I gave each of my guys ten tickets to sell and most of them came back for more. Garden City will have a strong showing and I'm sure Chaminade will do the same." He added, "These kids are very fortunate to be healthy and playing lacrosse in a great community, so it's nice to give something back and remind all of us that some kids are struggling with serious illness and need all the help they can get."

Advance tickets for the game can be purchased for $3 each. They will be $5 at the gate. All fans will be required to leave the stadium after the high school game and re-enter for the college match-up in order to avoid violating the NCAA recruiting guidelines. To obtain information on tickets, contact the athletic office at Garden City High School (Director Nancy Kalafus) at 294-3057.