The annual Roslindale West Roxbury Kiwanis and Rotary Club of West Roxbury-Roslindale held their annual friendly softball game last Wednesday.

The game is a collaboration with the Jason Roberts Challenger League, which recently started its season, and the two groups duked it out after the Challenger League finished its game.

The Jason Roberts Challenger League pairs players with disabilities with “Buddies” to help them play and has been around for decades in the Parkway. Founder Billy Hubbard named the league after his nephew, who died in a car crash with an intoxicated driver.

The whole afternoon was dedicated to former Kiwanian and Rotarian John Sullivan (no relation), who passed away this past December. Sullivan was a big supporter of just about everything in the Parkway, but he had a particular love for the Jason Roberts Challenger League, and so the Kiwanis and Rotary banded together for this game and dedicated a sign on the field to Sullivan.

“John was a loud, boisterous person; if he was in the room you knew,” Kiwanis President Bob McNeil said. “He had a heart of gold. He came across at first as kind of gruff, but as soon as you talked to him, you knew he was just a fantastic guy.”

McNeil said Sullivan, who owned Sully’s Coupons in town, worked all over the neighborhood for dozens of causes, including Kiwanis and Rotary, which are dedicated to helping children.

“He was very big in the Roslindale community, he was big in our club, and he loved the Jason Roberts Challenger League,” said McNeil. “We knew he loved the JR, so we thought we would dedicate a sign to him.”

Sullivan’s wife Susan and their sons Brian and Stephen were on hand for the night. All said they were proud to see Sullivan honored this way.

“It feels great, it’s one of the things he loved to do,” said Brian. “Recently I found a picture of us on the United States Statehouse steps in Washington, D.C., with the Jason Roberts Challenger League from probably 1998, and John Kerry was just a lowly Congressman or senator at the time but he was with us. It’s a great thing to give back to the community like this, and that’s what he was all about.”

“It’s just a great gesture, they didn’t have to make today about him at all,” said Stephen. “I’m sure he wouldn’t have expected it, but it means a lot that they were willing to do this.”

“He just loved this cause and he’s worked with Billy Hubbard for years,” said Susan. “When Billy first started this, John was right there supporting him in any way he could when this was an offshoot of Parkway Little League. So they got the field out here, got the bathrooms built, and it was a real community thing. And it’s been a huge opportunity for the Challengers here who get to play and the buddies, and the parents have been wonderful and supported it, and John loved it.”

The Sullivan family added they wanted to thank the Kiwanis and Rotary.

“Kiwanis’s support for children, both here and around the world, meant a lot to John and he tried to spread that message, because a lot of people didn’t really know what Kiwanis did,” Susan said.

All three agreed immediately that, despite John being a member of both the Kiwanis and Rotary, he was betting on the Kiwanians to win this past Wednesday.

Rotary President Ray Fitzgerald said he was honored to participate. “It’s definitely a nice project to contribute to,” he said.

Kiwanis member Sean Brennan said Sullivan took up the “Canning” campaign – ringing bells for donations – for two full years.

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“It was run by Judy Leone who used to do it, and he did that for two years just before Christmas because he cared so much about the community,” he said.

Brennan said Sullivan would often come to him with ideas for fundraising and was like a terrier when it came to finding funds for good causes.

“He was the most caring guy you were ever going to meet,” he said. “Good-hearted, good-natured, good person.”

Resident John Rimas said his son Sean has been in the Jason Roberts Challenger League for a while now, and it’s a great experience for everyone involved.

“He’s been doing it for several years and is in a residential program in Millis through the Amigo Program,” he said. “They bring him down every week for the Jason Roberts, and it’s an amazing program and an amazing opportunity for these guys and girls. It’s great to see them enjoying themselves. As long as they’re having a good time – that’s all that matters.”

Resident Ali Mazz and her daughter said they came out to support their friend John on the Jason Roberts Challenger League.

“We met at a different special Olympics event during the winter,” she said. “We were not aware of this before, we made the connection with his family back in the winter and it was a beautiful day, we were free and we just thought we’d come and cheer him on. It’s fantastic, the energy is high, it’s a great group of people and it’s just a beautiful night.”

The Jason Roberts Challenger League continues until the last Wednesday in August, and it will have a banquet for the players at the Dedham VFW at a date and time to be determined.

For more information on the Kiwanis, go to https://gvimes.link/wrroskiwan

For more information on the Rotary, go to https://www.westroxburyclub.org

For more information on the Jason Roberts, go to https://gvimes.link/jasonroberts