Bernie Williams brings smiles, music to Camp Adventure
Former Yankee Bernie Williams received a gift of a Camp Adventure necklace bearing his name from Gina Mulieri, 16, of Holbrook.
Former Yankee great Bernie Williams brought his passion for sports and music to Camp Adventure Thursday afternoon, arriving by seaplane to shouts of “Let’s Go Yankees from campers and staff.Growing up in Puerto Rico, Mr. Williams, who played center field for the Yankees between 1991 and 2006, told the campers he always had a love of both baseball and music and even, at one point, considered following a musical career instead of joining the Bronx Bombers.
“They didn’t make me choose between sports and music,” Mr. Williams said about his parents. He attended the Performing Arts High School in Puerto Rico and now, retired as a baseball player, he’s completing his studies this year at the Manhattan School of Music and pursuing a second career as a classically trained guitarist.
He has released two albums and plans to pursue his dream of traveling around the country as a musician.
“Everyone has adversity,” Mr. Williams told the campers, many of whom are survivors or still fighting their battles with cancer.
“My heart goes out to you,” he said. “Stay tough — that’s what I did. It’s very important not to give up.”
First to reach Mr. Williams as he departed from a seaplane was Gina Mulieri, 16, of Holbrook, who strung a necklace bearing his name around his neck.
“I’m a straight-forward kind of girl and I cut right to the chase, Gina told him by way of greeting.
Like the Pied Piper, Mr. Williams led the campers and staff to that part of Quinipet occupied this week by Camp Adventure. The program turns lives of young cancer patients, survivors and their siblings into a normal period of summer fun.
The former Yankee didn’t come to Camp Adventure empty-handed. He brought with him instruments — guitars, drum sets and various other instruments to give the kids a step up on developing their music program. The instruments were donated by a group organized by Jim Kaplan whose friend, Anthony Spinelli, knew of the program.
Mr. Kaplan brought the idea to Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports Marketing, who hosts The Hook-Up on the YES Network. The show focuses on giving back to individuals aand organizations in need of c ommunity support.
Mr. Williams was very enthusiastic about the visit, Mr. Steiner said.
“I’m glad to be here,” Mr. Williams told the campers, his face reflecting a wide smile throughout his visit.
It was Mr. Williams’ love of both sports and music that seemed like a natural match for the activities in which the campers engage, Mr. Steiner said.
“We’re not going to forget you,” he promised, saying that he and Mr. Williams would be back and would help to organize the music program and give the camp the support it needs to continue its work.
He and Camp Adventure members Geoff Bansen and Trevor Redmond led the campers in a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” with Mr. Williams on guitar.
“Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was the theme of the day as Bernie Williams strummed his guitar and sang, accompanied by Geoff Bansen (left) and Trevor Redmond, both with Camp Adventure.
Mr. Williams wasn’t the only supporter of Camp Adventure on hand for Thursday’s festivities.
Maryann Mills and her husband of Huntington raised $86,000 this year to help support the camp. She came out to visit with the campers and meet Mr. Williams.
She had gotten involved with the American Cancer Society that used to fund Camp Adventure. The Mills family’s aim originally was to build support for bone marrow donors, so vital to saving lives like that of Camp Adventure co-director Melissa Firmes-Ray.
Last fall, when Ms. Firmes-Ray was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, it was a bone marrow donor who gave her the gift of life.
Ms. Firmes-Ray and co-director David Lewis, who had run the camp program for years, rallied other volunteers to save the summer program by forming a 501(c)3 foundation, Kids Need MoRE, to save the camp program.
The Mills held an initial money raising event to help the camp continue when it lost its ACS funding.
They became so impressed with the program that they have continued their efforts.
Camp Adventure winds up its 2015 Shelter Island stay this weekend, but the links among staff and campers keep the support group going throughout the year through various events and online posts.
