24 The Courier SUN • kids & education • DECEMBER 25, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com ▶ kids & education Sponsored by There’s more in store for you when you have a 5Star Credit Card. Apply today online at mynycb.com or call us at 1-888-550-9888 Douglaston teen is pitching for a good cause BY ASHA MAHADEVAN [email protected] @queenscourier.com Michael Petze is like most other 14-year-olds in that he loves baseball. For the past three years, the Douglaston resident has been playing on the CP Stars travel baseball team out of College Point, winning 24 tournaments throughout the mid-Atlantic area. However, now he is using his baseball skills to raise money for his cousin, Anthony, 24, an athlete with Down’s Syndrome. Petze was recently invited to compete in the 9th Annual Power Showcase at the Florida Marlins Park in Miami, FL, from Dec. 28, 2014 to Jan. 2, 2015. While the Showcase gives him an opportunity to show off his baseball skills, “it also includes a charity component,” explained Petze. The Showcase urges the players to give back to the community, and Petze decided to help his cousin participate in the local Special Olympics competition held every summer in Massachusetts, where Anthony lives. “Anthony always puts a smile on my face,” said Petze. “He taught me to never judge a person by their looks, not to treat someone as an outcast because they are different.” While Petze is a pitcher and a competitive hitter, Anthony runs track, plays basketball and bowls. Anthony is part of the Mid-Cape Sports Program, which, said Petze, spends $10,000 annually to provide training facilities for its athletes. He is hoping to raise the entire amount. He started his fundraising efforts “a couple of weeks ago” and has received contributions and pledges for contributions totaling to more than $2,000. Petze hopes to raise the funds by the beginning of February as that would give him time to visit his cousin in Cape Cod. “I haven’t seen him in a long time,” he said. Meanwhile, with 170 athletes from more than 20 countries participating in the Showcase, the event itself is a Smart Student BANKING1 > Absolutely Free Student Checking •No minimum balance •No per check fee •No monthly maintenance fee > Free unlimited ATM transactions at NYCB locations > Free VISA®CheckCard > Free Direct Deposit > Free On-line Banking with Free Bill Pay† > 24 Hour Bank by Phone > Convenience •Over 140 locations in NY and NJ •Extended branch banking hours •Supermarket banking •7 day-a-week banking at many locations > Pre-Paid Solutions •VISA® Gift Card •Pre-Paid Long Distance •Pre-Paid MasterCardTM •Pre-Paid Wireless Service •MetroCards Open your Student Checking2 Account today and enjoy: • NO MINIMUM BALANCE FEE • NO PER-CHECK FEE • NO MONTHLY SERVICE FEE Free ▪ Unlimited transactions at NYCB ATMs ▪ Visa® check card ▪ Direct Deposit Convenience ▪ Over 175 locations in NY and NJ ▪ Extended branch banking hours ▪ Online Banking with e-Statements For more information call 718-448-7272 or visit www.myNYCB.com Be sure to ask about our Student Statement Savings Account too! †For your online security, information will be verified by the Bank. Once the verification process is complete, your Free Online Banking & Free Bill Pay account will be activated and ready for you to use. No monthly services charges apply. A separate fee applies for optional services such as Money HQ. Please talk to a branch representative or ask for our fee schedule for more details. © New York Community Bank. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender (877) 786-6560 • myNYCB.com 1Student Banking is available for personal accounts only and is free of maintenance and activity fees. 2Student Checking Accounts with a Visa® check card are automatically enrolled in the Even >more Rewards Program. For complete terms and conditions speak with a branch representative. Restrictions apply. Bank is not responsible for typographical errors. ©2014 New York Community Bank- Member FDIC Equal Opportunity Lender great opportunity for this Derek Jeter fan. “My parents are really happy about (receiving) the invitation and that I’d be meeting new people,” he said. “I like to be able to show people my talent in baseball.” If you wish to support Michael Petze and his cousin Anthony, you can either make a one-time contribution, or pledge a certain amount for each home run hit or contribute per foot for the longest home run or per foot of a hit that goes over the fence. Make your checks payable to Special Olympics and write Mid- Cape Sports on the memo line. For more information or to make a pledge, email Michael at MPetze05@ gmail.com. Photo courtesy Michael Petze Michael Petze (right) with his cousin Anthony.
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