Gershow Recycling sponsored and donated $2,000 to help defray the costs of putting on the eighth annual Play for Peace/Jugando Por La Paz Soccer Tournament, which was held August 13 at the Patchogue-Medford Youth Soccer Complex in Medford.
The goals of Play For Peace are to bring together diverse nationalities within the community for a full day of World Cup-style soccer and to use sports as a way for people from different ethnic backgrounds to find common ground. The annual tournament is organized by the Office of Suffolk County Legislator Robert Calarco.
The Play for Peace Soccer Tournament was first organized in 2009 through the office of then-Legislator Jack Eddington in conjunction with the Patchogue-Medford Youth Soccer League as a response to the Marcelo Lucero tragedy. In 2011, when Legislator Calarco was elected, he carried on the tradition of presenting the tournament. Joselo Lucero, Marcelo’s brother, spoke to the crowd about the importance of having an event such as this to bring the community together.
Approximately 500 spectators came to this free event. Fourteen teams — eight men’s teams and six women’s teams — participated in the tournament. In the men’s division, Suffolk Transportation Services was the winning team, while Capital One Bank won the women’s division. The Best Sportsmanship Awards went to Gershow Recycling in the men’s division and Healthfirst in the women’s division.
“Gershow Recycling is pleased again to support this year’s ‘Play for Peace.’ We salute former Legislator Eddington for establishing this event and Legislator Calarco for continuing it, as an effort to bring members of our diverse communities together and build understanding through sports,” said Kevin Gershowitz, President, Gershow Recycling.
