RFH Volleyball for Charley's Fund

Volleyball season is officially over, but the action will be heating up one last time in the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School gymnasium when teams take to the court in a tournament for charity on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.

Faculty and student teams will square off in support of Charley's Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). 

"The main goal of Charley's Fund is to save the lives of boys who are affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the number one genetic killer of children in the world," said Stanley Seckler. "Please support this volleyball tournament and help my brother Lucas and me to save our cousin Charley and so many others like him."

DMD is a devastating muscle-wasting disease that affects one in every 3,600 newborn boys worldwide and leads to paralysis. The fund is named for Charley Seckler, a 12-year-old cousin of R-FH Senior Stanley Seckler and and his brother Lucas, a sophomore at R-FH. 

Charley's parents started the fund shortly after their son was diagnosed in 2004 and have made it their mission to support DMD research. DMD patients typically lose their ability to walk during adolescence, and then suffer heart or respiratory failure in their teens to early twenties.

Charley's family is hoping that a cure is found before he loses his ability to walk. Based on recent developments, including significant advances in molecular and gene therapy, experts feel that the time is ripe for a research breakthrough.

The volleyball tournament was organized by the R-FH Character Education Club and is sponsored by R-FH Track Coach Tim McLoone and by the Seckler family of Rumson. The $5 admission fee for the general public will be donated directly to DMD research through Charley's Fund.

In support of the Seckler family and Charley's Fund, R-FH faculty and students have responded enthusiastically to the open call for volleyball players.

More than 20 R-FH teachers and administrators will be participating and are fielding two teams.

Team One consists of: Chris Alworth, Jim Barbiere, Darren Beatty, Jerry Beaver, Chrissy Camp, Jeff Karpell, Chris Lanzalotto, Marissa LeCardi, Brad Margolis, Jess Olszewski, Jon Reynolds, and Zack Wilson.

Participating on Team Two are: Bryan Batchler, Erin Burke, Alex Componile, Ian Connor, Mike Emmich, Caitlin Flanagan, Stephani Flecca, Seth Herman, Morgan Howard, Jason Lippart, Ted Messinger, Rob Orrok and Jon Pennetti.