(CRANSTON, R.I.) – Children with Special Needs can be overlooked when it comes to social activities such as Little League. Every Saturday afternoon in the spring and autumn, kids with special needs assemble at Flanders Park in Cranston, R.I. to experience a game of baseball in which every player truly wins. One of those players is the inspiration behind it all, Frank Fiasconaro’s son, Nicholas, who is wheelchair bound.
Frank is the president and owner of CG Creations, Pearl River, NY-based manufacturers and wholesalers serving the jewelry industry for over 45 years. Frank is co-founder and benefactor of “401 A League of Our Own”, a buddy ball league where kids with special needs have the opportunity to participate in America’s favorite pastime. The Spring 2022 season has officially launched with a parade of champions and opening ceremonies hosted by the WPRI Providence TV News Anchor. Then the eager kids heard what they were waiting for when Frank announced, “Play Ball!”
“It’s just the greatest feeling when I see how happy the kids are, playing in the sun and rounding the bases with their brothers and sisters and moms and dads,” says Frank. “No matter how late I am in my New York office Friday night, I’m on the field in Rhode Island Saturday morning. The most satisfying thing is giving my Rhode Island special needs kids the feeling of inclusion.”
401 A League of Our Own began with Nicholas’s mom Nina when they moved to Rhode Island from New York, where Nicholas had played for years with the Miracle League of Westchester. Unable to find a similar league in their new neighborhood, and knowing from experience that there were many other families facing the same challenge, Nina and Frank decided to start a league themselves. In partnership with Meeting Street School of Providence, R.I., the Fiasconaro family and CG Creations are the league’s primary financial sponsors, ensuring the kids all get their uniforms, t-shirts and baseball equipment, just like any other kids sports team, while everyone can continue to play for free. It’s the investment in these kids that gets Frank on that field every Saturday morning. “Their happiness, their smiles are truly priceless,” he says.
CG Creations is the exclusive manufacturer of Gold Horizons® Karat Gold, Franco Stellari® Italian Silver and Stellari Gold® 18K over Sterling, Lancello® Men’s Stainless & Alternative Metals, ZABLE® Sterling Silver Beads & Charms, and Wind & Fire® Eco-Sustainable Jewelry. Email sales@cgcreations.com or call 800-431-1606 for more information – or to say “Ciao” to Frank.
