Laughter and shouts of glee could be heard coming from the dozens and dozens of attendees at Saturday's Dream Come True baseball vs. softball game at the Walnutport Playground.

Not only did the viewers in the stands rally around plays made by the 14 and under boys and girls on the diamond, they also had fun jumping up themselves to catch T-shirts fired from an air gun launcher by Tri-County Team Wear owners Tina and Tom Sargent.The Sargents said they decided to donate their time and products "just as an idea (of a way) to give back to the community."Indeed, the entire sporting event was designed to benefit the nonprofit volunteer organization the Dream Come True, whose primary mission is to promote and enrich the lives of children between the ages of 4 and 18 who are seriously, chronically or terminally ill.The event kicked off at 5 p.m., and the game, which pitted midget and knee-hi boys baseball players from various teams within the Northern Lehigh School District against the Northern Lehigh girls softball team, started at 5:30 p.m.Event coordinator Julie Wagaman called the event "just a fun game where the kids, who are about the same age, get to rival and have some fun."Admission was free, so funds for Dream Come True were gathered through sales at the playground's refreshment stand, which served up offerings like hot dogs and pierogies, and a tricky tray basket raffle, consisting of about 48 baskets and gift cards donated by local families and businesses. In addition, monetary donations were accepted.Wagaman said the event was originally begun 18 years ago by her friend Gary Andrew, an active board member of the Walnutport Playground Association who loved both baseball and children and who chose Dream Come True as the organization he wanted to help support.In fact, the organization's Blue Ridge Chapter vice president, Nick Hawkey, who has been involved in the event since its inception, recalled that Andrew had approached him about his idea of having the ballgame namely because Andrew was "very community-oriented in kids' sports."Wagaman said Andrew brought her on five years ago to help coordinate the event. After he passed away in the spring of 2013, she said she felt he would have "wanted me to keep this going and keep doing good for these kids." Though now only 22 and in school studying for her master's degree, she has been coordinating the event for the past two years.Wagaman said she believes it is important for the players to see how fun the act of giving to others can be and said it may also be helpful to see how young she is as she coordinates the event."They need to know that they can do (things like this) now," she said.And they apparently do. She said an example of this is that, despite the fact that it rained last year, the players still wanted to play and brought in a total of $1,700 during the event. This year's goal, she said, was $2,000.This year, thankfully, brought not only good weather but also the chance to play on the playground's newly revitalized ball field. WPA President Brian Filchner and Treasurer Bob Treskot praised the volunteers who helped redo the field, noting that, besides the cost of sod, all other items were donated and the field was shortened to make it into a regulation softball field instead.In regard to the game's main purpose, Hawkey said, "Everybody wants to be a part of making a sick kid smile. There's nothing like it, absolutely nothing like it."Attendees Susan Hoffman and her granddaughter Lauren Hoffman, 12, of Slatington, said they came to the game to support Dream Come True after seeing it advertised in various places."I like that it supports the children who need help," said Lauren, who said she has been to Dream Come True events in the pastHawkey said Dream Come True recently helped send a young local ballerina to San Francisco to take some lessons at the ballet school of her dreams. As tears welled in his eyes, he also relayed the story of a young boy, years ago, who wanted nothing more than to be a general in the Army and how the organization helped him achieve that dream out at Fort Indiantown Gap."I could tell you stories all night long about kids (who've been granted wishes by Dream Come True)," Hawkey said.He said another Dream Come True event is scheduled at Becky's Drive-In on Oct. 5. It has been held there annually for over two decades and includes a car show, flea market, bands and more.As for the Walnutport ballgame event, Wagaman said next year marks the fifth anniversary of the Northern Lehigh High School baseball and softball Colonial League Championship, when both teams won the championship the same night with the same score. To that end, she hopes to bring back both championship teams to compete against each other under strictly softball rules.The event should be exciting, she said, and is slated for the third Saturday of September.