Londonderry Residents Throw Out Ceremonial First Pitch At NH Fisher Cats Games

Alex Hodson and Tarya Kocak were recently honored as recipients of the Bellwether Community Champion award, presented to individuals who have made a positive impact on the lives of others. Over Memorial Day Weekend, Hodson and Kocak threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a New Hampshire Fisher Cats game and were celebrated during an on field pregame presentation.

Hodson, a member of the Londonderry Junior Girl Scout Troop, made the holidays a little brighter for area veterans, seniors and sick children. Using her creative talents, Hodson led a group of Matthew Thornton Elementary School classmates and created dozens of Christmas ornaments, bracelets and holiday cards. In late December, Hodson and her friends personally delivered their homemade gifts to Birch Heights Senior Community in Derry and sang Christmas carols for a group of Senior Citizens. Items were also donated to the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD). School officials at Matthew Thornton Elementary School hope the project becomes an annual tradition for the Fifth Grade class.

Kocak, a fifth grader at Matthew Thornton Elementary School, jumped into action when she heard that a pipe burst at Manchester Animal Shelter, causing portions of the ceiling to collapse and kennels to flood. While no animals were injured, the kennel area closed for 10 days due to damages caused by the incident. Kocak organized a school-wide “pajama day” to benefit Manchester Animal Shelter and provide a fun way for her classmates and faculty to give back. On January 15th, students and faculty were given the option of wearing pajamas to school in exchange for a donation to the animal shelter. Through Kocak’s efforts, the “pajama day” fundraiser raised more than $500 for the repairs at the Manchester Animal Shelter.

Hodson and Kocak both reside in Londonderry.

Photos Courtesy of New Hampshire Fisher Cats