Longtime area softball tournament goes to help kids with neuromuscular diseases

Ready, set and play ball. A group of area philanthropists is hosting its annual softball tournament.

The Ted Ensley Hog Charity Softball Tournament will kick off Friday at Joe Campbell Stadium in Rossville.

"To be getting ready to gear up for the 44th year, I think is a testament to the commitment of all the players and family members past and present," tournament director Dennis Peerenboom said.

The annual Ted Ensley Hog Charity Softball Tournament

The tournament started in 1980 to raise money for kids with neuromuscular diseases to visit summer camp.

In 2018, the Neuromuscular Access Initiative became the new camp administrators, and since that time, all proceeds from the tournament have gone to it.

All nine teams in the tournament do fundraisers throughout the year and then come together for the tournament.

The tournament starts Friday and goes through Sunday. Other than softball, there will also be other fundraising events throughout the weekend: a silent auction, raffles and the coveted hog queen crowning at 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

Ensley said the highlight of the event is the crowning of the hog queens, a long-standing tradition where each team nominates a young lady to be crowned.

Peerenboom said they are called hog queens because when the fundraiser first started in 1980, it was sponsored by the motorcycle company Harley-Davidson and the queens would ride on the back of hogs.

Last year, the teams raised a record amount of $61,000. Over the first 43 years, they have raised $835,000.

"I'm amazed each year what these teams do to raise money," Peerenboom said.

What is Camp Milton?

Camp Milton, located in Linwood, is a camp dedicated to give real world experiences to kids with neuromuscular diseases.

"Honestly, it's kind of a God moment," said fundraiser and Camp Milton worker Sandy Becker.

The camp's mission is to "create a community of empowerment and belonging for children and young adults with neuromuscular diseases."

Children get to do archery, swimming and tons of other camp activities while having a one-to-one, kid-to-counselor ratio.

Next year, the camp will be from June 9-14 and Becker said the camp is looking for new kids with neuromuscular diseases to come join.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Longtime area softball tournament goes to help kids with neuromuscular diseases