News Events

Parkland Buddy Sports Kicks Off March with Run4Nick, Run4Beigel, and Other Community Events

by Faran Fagen February 23, 2023

by Faran Fagen February 23, 2023 25 views

Parkland Buddy Sports Readies for a March Packed with City Involvement

Parkland Buddy Sports {courtesy}

By Faran Fagen

Parkland Buddy Sports is set to kick off a busy month in March by participating in two events that are important to the community.

“While our core mission is providing recreational sports opportunities for children and young adults with special needs, we recognize the importance [of ] supporting other non-profits that have similar goals,” said Bob Mayersohn, Parkland City Commissioner and Parkland Buddy volunteer.“Run4Nick and Run4Beigel celebrate the lives of two incredible individuals who loved their community, valued the importance of sports, and have made a lasting impact on so many as they lead by example.”

Run4Beigel

Run4Beigel, which honors the heroic teacher from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, is set for Sunday, March 5, at 8 a.m. at Pine Trails Park. Participants can choose between a 10K Run, a 5K Run/Walk, or be part of their inaugural Scott’s Superhero 1K Fun Run, where participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite superhero and collect goodies along the 1K route. There will be kid-friendly activities following the run.

Run4Nick

The Run4Nick 5K/10K is a family-friendly event at on Sunday, March 26, at 7:30 a.m. on March 26 with a timed 5K and 10K race division that benefits the Nicholas Dworet Memorial Fund. The race will start and finish in Pines Trails Park. 5K is walker-friendly and virtual options are available.

Parkland Buddy Sports {courtesy}

Parkland Day parade

The City of Parkland is an “Autism Friendly” city, and to celebrate the city’s 60th birthday, Parkland Buddy Sports will walk in the Parkland Day parade at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 11.

Regular Programs

As far as its regular programming, tennis, and pickleball begin for Parkland Buddy Sports on Sunday, March 5. The two sports will practice fundamentals, warm-ups, and informal instruction and offer one on one time for players and their buddies. Registration is now closed; however, you can sign up to join the waitlist by emailing info@parklandbuddysports.com.

A lot of planning has gone into this packed month.

“We have an incredible board of directors who have taken time out of their personal and professional schedule to prepare for and plan our events,” Mayersohn said. “We have also been very fortunate that the relationships between our families and buddies have grown organically. The smiles of success we see on the faces of our players are infectious.”

Parkland Buddy Sports is a non-profit providing organized peer-to-peer sports programming for children and young adults with special needs and volunteer opportunities for students.

A lot of smiles were also seen at the Parkland Buddy’s Valentine’s Dance in February at the Parkland Rec Center. More than 50 families attended, and the room was decorated with hearts and candies while a force of high school volunteers danced with their buddies to the melodies from DJ Cardi.

Mayersohn added, “As Barry Cohen, one of our coaches, always says, ‘There is something magical about our program.’”

Send your news to Parkland’s #1 Award-Winning News Source, Parkland Talk. Don’t miss reading Tamarac Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, and Margate Talk.

Author Profile

Faran Fagen

Faran Fagen, who teaches high school journalism, graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Journalism degree and from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Education. He's worked at The Palm Beach Post, SunSentinel, and MLB.com. He lives in Coral Springs with his wife and two children. Oh, and his three dogs -- who all think that they're his favorite.