MacKenzie Reed has sat in a firetruck before, but her first ride will come on Sunday before the Russell "Bups" Ahner Memorial Old-Timers Softball Game in Franklin Township.

The game is held each year to raise funds for local youth dealing with medical issues.This year's game is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Phifer Ice Dam Park."It really means a lot that they are doing this for our family," said Nina Reed, MacKenzie's mother. "When they called me about it, I almost cried. We just feel so blessed to have these wonderful people in our community who care."Franklin Township "old-timers" will again be pitted against a squad from Jim Thorpe. Over $100,000 has been raised through the event for sick or needy children.Part of the game's tradition is to give the honoree a ride to the field in a firetruck, departing from the Franklin Township Fire Company.Reed, who celebrated her 9th birthday on Monday, has battled significant health issues since day one.Born at just 24 weeks, she weighed 1 pound, 7 ounces."MacKenzie was in the hospital for three months with a lot of complications," Nina said. "She had surgery on her eyes and is legally blind in her left eye. For the first three-and-a-half years of her life, she was on oxygen and just stopped using a feeding tube which she used since 8 months old."With the feeding tube out, MacKenzie has been drinking a high-calorie formula to maintain her weight.She'll be heading to a third grade life skills class at Mahoning Elementary next year, her mother said.At 6 years old, the family found out MacKenzie wasn't growing properly and would need growth hormone injections.The injections have helped her grow 8 inches."Considering everything she's had to deal with, she's very upbeat and I think she's doing well," Nina said. "She's very excited for Sunday."The game will just be the start of a magical year for MacKenzie.She found out recently that courtesy of the Blue Ridge Chapter of Dream Come True, she will be heading to Walt Disney World in Florida at the end of September."You just always think someone deserves it more than you, but we are so appreciative that these positive things are happening for MacKenzie. She's going to have a blast."