Community holds softball tourney for Tripp Halstead - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Community holds softball tourney for Tripp Halstead

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WINDER, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -

Friends, family and even complete strangers are participating in a softball tournament fundraiser for 2-year-old Tripp Halstead.

Twenty-nine teams signed up to play softball to help raise money for Tripp, at Victor Lord Park, in Winder.

Organizer Allison Lee along with her husband Kenneth decided to put on the event because they too have a young son.

"It hit home really hard with me having a child. So when I was asked to do this, [I said], 'absolutely I'll do it.' The fact of the matter is it could be me," Allison Lee said.

Tripp was injured in late October after the winds from Superstorm Sandy blew a tree branch onto him. It happened outside the Cribs to Crayons day care center in Winder.

When the branch fell, it hit Tripp in the head so hard, it cracked his skull and knocked him unconscious.

The event drew in softball teams from all over the state, like Cleveland, Conyers, Cumming and Woodstock.

"I just look around and I see all these people and it just does my heart good," Allison Lee said.

With an entry fee of $200 per team, players like Mike Sedita of Cumming were lining up for a chance to help knock some the family's medical bills out of the ballpark.

"We play in a lot of softball tournaments in the course of the year and there are big tournaments and tournaments that are for great causes. This was a tournament for a great cause," Sedita said.

Barrow County Parks and Recreation donated two fields for the teams to play on and the umpires worked for free.

The organizers donated the concessions. That money too will all go to Tripp's parents to help with medical cost.

Bill Halstead made an appearance early in the day to show his appreciation for what everyone was doing for his son.

Since so many teams signed up, the teams are expected to play well past midnight.

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