DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A simple idea to bring Volusia County's first responders together for a friendly game of softball has grown into a community fundraising event with an important purpose – pediatric cancer research.

"The Game," held at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, was created to bring together the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and Volusia County Fire Rescue for a charity softball matchup benefiting pediatric cancer research through the V Foundation as well as supporting the Volusia Sheriff's Youth Foundation.

What took months of planning and preparation led by Gregory Vincent, aka "Coach G," with support from Embry-Riddle Baseball and the Daytona Beach community, "The Game" was made possible. The goal was straightforward: bring the community together while raising money for children battling cancer.

The inaugural contest drew thousands of community members and raised more than $70,000 for the cause.

"When we started working on this a few months ago, with the leadership of a dear friend named Coach G, we could not have imagined the impact on the community and more importantly the V Foundation," Head Coach Dave Therneau stated. "Many of us have been impacted by cancer in some way and to have the opportunity to bring this community together to fill Jackie Robinson Ballpark and help fundraise to benefit such a great cause means a lot to our program and to myself personally. I am grateful to our players and the other ERAU members who took the time to volunteer their time to help make this event special."

For ERAU Baseball, supporting an event like "The Game" is another opportunity to use the sport beyond the college playing field. The involvement from ERAU stretched past the reach of the baseball program as members of the track and field program as well as members of the athletics support staff served to bring the Volusia County community together through an amazing event.

"Being a small part in supporting this event was quite the honor," ERAU Athletics Director of Marketing Kayla Byrnes said. "Thanks to Coach G and Coach Therneau for the opportunity to benefit a great cause. The Daytona Beach community showed out, and I am excited about the future of this event."

The game itself featured plenty of friendly competition, with Volusia County Fire Rescue ultimately defeating the Sheriff's Office 26-6. However, the final score was secondary to the purpose of bringing the community together for an impactful cause. This event included other fundraising opportunities such as a silent auction, memorabilia, and other fun activities all designed to benefit the V Foundation's pediatric cancer research efforts.

"The Game" demonstrates what can happen when local athletics, first responders, businesses, and community supporters work together toward a common goal. With such success in the inaugural event, discussions are already underway about continuing this outreach for years to come.

For more information, donations and ways to support the cause, visit CoachGV24.com.