Published: August 21, 2008 10:19 pm         

Warriors tourney continuing history of helping others

The Seventh annual Warrior Invitational Softball Tournament, which begins tonight at Kellet Park, isn’t about winning or losing.

It’s about helping people.

This year the tournament is raising money to aid the medical expenses of Kellee Platt, who has battling breast cancer, and Holden Houska, who has been diagnosed with type I diabetes.

Platt’s cancer is in remission, said tournament spokesman Troy Goodwin.

Houska was diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago. The family is learning about it and dealing with it, said Goodwin.

The tournament was first started seven years ago to help the medical expenses of Steve Kirk, a member of the sponsoring Warriors team, who had a serious lung disease.

He was given six months to live, Goodwin said, but Kirk went to a doctor in Baltimore where he received aggressive treatment for the disease.

“He’s still playing ball with us,’’ Goodwin said.

Since then the tournament has helped raises funds for patients with leukemia, diabetes or cancer.

“Everybody we have helped is doing very well,’’ Goodwin said. “That makes you feel pretty good.’’

Goodwin said he hopes the tournament can raise at least $5,000 over the next two days.

Thirteen men’s and seven women’s teams will be in the field. Games will start at 7 tonight and 8 a.m. Saturday.

There will be a home run contest at 2 p.m. Saturday. Donnie Record’s “Poverty’s Children’’ will give a concert following the championship games at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

The tournament will feature a pig roast, kids inflatables, a silent auction and various giveaways. T-shirts will be sold.

Admission is on a donation basis.

“You can watch a lot of good ball and help people at the same time,’’ Goodwin said.