No. 16 Vol. 3
www.mypaperonline.com
March 2018
Roxbury Youth Uses Baseball To Raise Money For Cancer
W
By Jason Cohen ith baseb a l l season underway, the diamond isn’t the only thing on the mind of Landon Monro, the 15-year-old catcher for the Roxbury Gaels. Monro, who is a sophomore at Roxbury High School, is gearing up to hold his fifth annual Landon Monro Stand Up to Cancer tournament on May 20. While the
youngster can’t drive or vote yet, he has shown he is mature beyond his years. Monro started his baseball fundraiser when he was just 11 with no expectations and it has turned into a huge event in the community. “I thought it would be great to make a difference and follow my passion to help people,” he said. The inspiration to hold a baseball fundraiser for can-
FREE POWER BANK just for stopping by
(One per family, only at participating Pure Wireless locations, no purchase necessary, while supplies last) Now through April 30, 2018
Pure Wireless
Chester • 908.955.7619 157 Route 206 Next to Marshalls
Flanders •973.584.5100 293 Route 206
Roxbury’s Real Estate EXPERT
Lynn Martini
Cell:973-945-2880 Invite me in for a Free Price Analysis See Back Page
2016 NJ Realtors Circle of Excellence Sales Award - GOLD LEVEL ®
PLATINUM CLUB
cer came when he was watching the MLB- All Star game in 2014. During the seventh inning each team honors a survivor of cancer and that person holds up a Stand up to Cancer sign. So, he asked his mom Dayna Monro what they could to help. They then did some research about Stand up to Cancer and contacted the organization. Monro then met with representatives from the non-profit in order for them to understand he was serious about the cause. “That very first day when he said ‘hey mom I’d really like to do something can you check this out with me,’ I think in a lot of ways I’m in awe of him,” Dayna Monro said. “Most kids at that age wouldn’t think twice when seeing something on TV. Once he filled out paperwork and was approved, he had to convince people that an 11-year-old was se-
rious about fighting cancer. “Nobody really wants to talk to an 11-year-old, so I had to make the initial contacts,” Dayna Monro said. The next step was working on the logistics with Stand up to Cancer and the township. Monro met with town officials and they fully supported the event. However, cancer
hit home for Monro when his uncle Keith Monro, who he was very close with, suddenly past away from cancer two weeks before the first tournament. Monro explained he didn’t even know his uncle was sick. “We were pretty much in the thick of everything,” his mom said. “It was kind of at that point that Landon looked
at me and said, ‘oh I get it.’” The event was small the first year, but it made $3,000. Since then, attendance, participation and money raised have all increased. Teachers, friends, family, community members and teammates have all come out to support the cause. In the past four years, it has raised a total cont. on page 6