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Led by a vision for Cranston’s youth, community works together on $1.2M CLCF sports addition
Mayor Hopkins and elected officials joined the Cranston community for the grand opening of the CLCF Building
A vision for the youth of Cranston has come to fruition. After laborious private fundraising efforts, the CLCF project has been completed after a mere 10 months. This new addition is completely ADA compliant, with renovated doorways, common areas, bathrooms, and new gym floor and bleachers. The common area will highlight the history of CLCF – its founder, its athletes, its teams, and its volunteers.
“We are extremely excited to unveil the new building to the girls and boys of Cranston. No matter your race, religion, or area code, CLCF welcomes all youth with open arms. We are humbled by the incredible donations of our supporters – whether it was labor, materials, financial, or otherwise. As we look on the horizon of our 75th anniversary, we are hoping to continue CLCF’s work for another 75 years,” said Frank Notarianni, President of CLCF.
The CLCF Board, donors, volunteers, and elected officials gathered on the morning of July 30 that 970 Pontiac Avenue in Cranston for the festivities, and for everyone to see what was inside the building that has been under renovation for nearly a year.
The CLCF sports programs are diverse and cover all seasons of the year. Each program is open to any youth from the city of Cranston. If available space and opportunity allow, programs are open to the youth from other communities.
CLCF, in its entirety, is a self-supporting, non-profit organization. The Board of Directors, coaches, and adult personnel are unpaid volunteers. They dedicate their time and talents to benefit the kids.
As Cranston struggles with infighting among it partisan Council and some organized political groups, to see the nearly seamless project completed is unique and noticeable.
CLCF is the most varied and one of the largest sports organizations in the United States. In 1992 CLCF was heralded at a national level as a significant, unique and dynamic program for children when it was honored by Cox Cable in their Steering Kids Straight Program. Leo Castiglioni was acknowledged as a role model for sports coaches. Cranston has a right to consider herself special for having Cranston League for Cranston’s Future in her midst.
About CLCF: In 1953, a group of enthusiastic and dedicated men and women from the city of Cranston, Rhode Island, had the vision to create organized activities for the development of their children. The program began when Leo Castiglioni formed a football league consisting of four squads. Soon Leo, a former semi-pro himself, called on fellow Cranstonite, Don Vivienzo. Together they set out to recruit others to the cause and added hockey to the action. These were the first organized youth programs in hockey and football in the State of Rhode Island.
Necessity forced the program to be located at the building designated for the Budlong Pool. Originally intended to be called Cranston’s League of Champions, this sports and youth development concept was permanently chartered as Cranston League for Cranston’s Future. Better known simply as CLCF, the organization has grown from a handful of caring people to a social organization embodying hundreds of adults and nearly 5000 youths, both boys and girls, from the city of Cranston and surrounding communities.
My sons and I applaud CLCF for continuing to thrive. Both were fortunate to grow up with CLCF around the corner. As a then-divorced mom, the organization gave my ‘boys’ structure and injected a then-male influence that I couldn’t provide.
No matter which sport they played, it brought them out of their neighborhood to meet kids from other parts of the City. It promotes good sportsmanship and helps develop their social skills. Everybody is equal but not everyone is a winner is what they learned. Everyone gets to play, no matter their skill.
Kudos to the dads who coached them. They set a great example for these kids. Thanks to those businesses and individuals who sponsored all of these teams. The cost in dollars was minimal – I gave a nominal fee that supported the building and a pair of appropriate shoes. Sponsors paid for uniforms and the coaches gave their time, skills, and plenty of pizza parties at their own expense of time and money.
I wish the Cranston League for Cranston’s Future another 75 years of teaching kids. They may be too old to play baseball now, but they have values that they will never lose.