Spectators Wanted For Team Mimi Softball Tournament Saturday

Saturday in Bangor, folks can watch some softball, take a chance on some raffle prizes, and help raise money for the Champion the Cure Challenge.

Each year, the Team Mimi Softball Tournament celebrates everything summer in Bangor. Starting at 8 o'clock Saturday morning, 14 teams will compete on the baseball fields, with spectators in the stands, to cheer them on. There will be concessions to keep everyone hydrated and well-fed. And there will be raffles all day, so even the audience can take a chance on winning some great prizes.

The tournament began 8 years ago, when a 10-year-old kid named Tommy decided to do something in memory of his grandmother. The woman he knew as 'Mimi' had passed away from ovarian cancer, and he said he wanted to find a way to raise money for research and for other cancer patients. He paired that desire with his passion for softball, and the Team Mimi tournament was born. Now 18-years-old, Tom is still just as excited about the event as he was in the beginning.

The Team Mimi Softball Tournament will begin at 8 a.m. at the Union Street Athletic Complex in Bangor. A special tribute to Brady Nickerson will begin at 7:45 a.m. and there will be a special tent with a Red Sox ticket giveaway and baked goods, all in Brady's name. The 14-year-old passed away last weekend, after a courageous battle with cancer.

All the money raised on Saturday will benefit the Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center Champion the Cure Challenge which offers a variety of ways to take part, from running, biking, or paddling a canoe, to riding motorcycles or horses. And all the funds stay in Maine, to help fund research, help patients directly, and bring clinical trials to the state.