Sports

Charity Softball Game Benefits Slain Officer's Family

Proceeds benefit the Kondek family.

Local law enforcement officers are trading in their guns and badges for balls and bats Saturday all in the name of a good cause.

A charity softball game to benefit the family of slain Tarpon Springs Police Officer Charlie Kondek is set to take place starting at 3:30 p.m. at Bright House Field, 601 Coachman Road, in Clearwater. A team made up of Clearwater and Largo police officers plans to go head-to-head with a team from the St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs departments.

Tickets for the game are $18 each and include the softball game, a baseball matchup between the Clearwater Threshers and Dunedin Blue Jays, and “all-you-can-eat” food from 5 to 8 p.m., according to an email to media from the Clearwater Police Department. Fireworks will follow the second game and a silent auction is also planned.

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Kondek was killed in the line of duty last December. All of the proceeds from the event will benefits his wife and the couple’s six children.

“Every year, Clearwater officers and the Clearwater Threshers organize this event to help a member of our public safety family,” said Clearwater Police Chief Dan Slaughter, who plans to play in the game. “The local law enforcement family wants the family of Officer Kondek to know we are here for them.”

Tickets can be purchased at any of the participating police departments. For more information, call 727-562-4304.

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