Pros Meet Heroes On the Beach for Charity

 Clearly these are tough times for those working in law enforcement as national headlines have not exactly been kind to the men and women we count on to protect and serve. 

Of course most local police departments are integral parts of the community, well-known to the public and made up of police officers who often grew up in the towns they now work in.  They are our friends and neighbors in addition to having the large responsibility those goes with carrying a badge.

Toms River Chief of Police Mitch Little has made it clear that being part of the community is important and Sunday about 20 of his finest take on a team of former NFL Players in a flag football game on the beach in Seaside Heights.  Pros versus Heroes is set for 3:30pm in front of the Aztec Hotel just north of Casino Pier.

The “Pros” are led by former Super Bowl champion Darian Barnes, an ex-Toms River North running back and current head coach at Colts Neck High School.  Barnes and others organize games around the country where the ex-NFL’ers take on police officers, firefighters and the military,all for charity.  They will actually be playing two games this weekend in Seaside Heights as part of the Jersey Shore Festival as on Saturday they’ll meet a group from Homeland Security.

Back to Sunday when the Pro Elite take on the Toms River Force.  Barnes’ teammates are expected to include Lance Briggs, Brian Leonard, Dan Klecko, Kevin Malast, Mike Teel and Roman Oben.  Not to be overlooked is the squad of well-conditioned cops sponsored by MC Messina General Contractor and captained by former Toms River North and Western Maryland (now McDaniel) quarterback Ron Sermarini along with Jay Stallworth, Scott Moeller, Ronnie Bayer, DJ Unger  and Vinny Pedalino. The game is free to watch from the boardwalk or on the beach but if you want to be field side and meet some of the Pros you can purchase a tee shirt and get in a VIP area. 

All proceeds benefit the Toms River Police Foundation and Toms River PBA Scholarship Fund.  There are also related activities before and after the game open to the public…for more visit prosvheroes.us.

Thanks to the support of Ray Catena, Spirits Unlimited, All Tech Integration and Esposito’s Pizzeria there will be honorary Pros and Heroes for the day including Chris Demondo, a soon-to-be Toms River East graduate who has overcome many obstacles in his life and WOBM’s Marianne Levy.  Watching her play flag football on the beach should be a show by itself.