Connecticut Epilepsy Foundation launches family-friendly kickball fundraiser in Orange

The Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut will turn kickball into a fundraiser and vendor fair at High Plains Community Center in Orange on Saturday, July 18, staging its first-ever Kickball Tournament & Vendor Fair around a full day of games, food and local booths. Teams will be able to register online, spectators will be welcome, and the event is built as a family-friendly gathering rather than a closed-in league night.

The tournament is scheduled for High Plains Community Center, 525 Orange Center Road, Orange, and the day is set to start at 10 a.m. The lineup stretches well beyond the field, with food, beer, raffles and local vendors all part of the draw. EFCT is positioning the event as a Kickball Tournament & Resource Fair, and that dual-purpose setup is the point: the games create the crowd, and the crowd gives the foundation a larger platform for outreach and fundraising.

Educational booths will be placed throughout the event to offer epilepsy-related resources, information and support for people and families affected by the condition. Proceeds will help EFCT continue its work improving the lives of people in Connecticut living with epilepsy, which gives the tournament a sharper mission than a typical summer recreational event. Kickball is the vehicle, but the organization is using it to pull together players, shoppers and donors in one place.

EFCT says it is Connecticut’s only state affiliate of the National Epilepsy Foundation, and the national organization identifies it as a leading source of information, education, recreation, advocacy and support for an estimated 36,000 people in Connecticut who have epilepsy. The Connecticut affiliate also says its services include the Family Assistance Fund, support groups, Camp Courage, seizure first aid and epilepsy resource rooms.

That makes the Orange event more than a one-off fundraiser. It is a test case for how a sport built on accessibility can widen the circle around a cause, with kickball serving as the hook and the resource fair giving the afternoon its purpose.