By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
At 6 p.m. Friday, nine innings of softball will be standing between two teams vying for bragging rights to the “Mayor’s Trophy” in a charity event aimed at stocking food pantry shelves.
On one side is Hillsborough, a sprawling 54.8-square-mile giant with a more than 200-year history.
”We look forward to playing, but we expect a victory,” Hillsborough Mayor Anthony Ferrera boldly said.
On the other side is Montgomery, smaller at 32.6 square miles, but with an equally long history.
”We are stacking up our secret weapon,” Montgomery Mayor Cecilia Birge said confidently. “Hillsborough is a competitive town, but that leak alone was enough to get Montgomery’s competitive juices flowing.”
The first ever game will be held at Ann Van Middlesworth Park, and the cost of admission is a donation to the local food banks.
”I said, why don’t we put together this ‘first annual mayor’s game?’” Mayor Ferrera said. “Montgomery is our neighbor, and anytime we can do something with them is great.”
Mayor Birge expressed a similar excitement about the game against Hillsborough.
”We have a well-established relationship with Hillsborough,” she said. “It’s a great way to end the summer.”
Municipal employees have been invited to be part of the teams for both towns, and Mayor Ferrera said that about 30 Hillsborough workers have signed up to play so far, including members of the Township Committee. He said every department in town, including the police, will be represented.
Montgomery has about 15 employees lined up to play so far, including, Mayor Birge said, Deputy Mayor Brad Fay and Township Committeeman Mark Caliguire.
”I will be a cheerleader because I’m really good at that,” Mayor Birge said. “But we’ve got a great staff, who have always been very active in community efforts.”
No matter who plays, Mayor Ferrera said, he hopes the biggest winner of the night will be the local food banks.
”We will equally distribute the food between the two towns,” he said. “This is a good way to have the towns come together, and it is good for morale.”
According to Recreation Director Rich Resavy, the Hillsborough food bank currently assists about 200 families in town throughout the year, and about 90 families during the holiday seasons. Most items are donated by township organizations that hold their own food drives, but some items are contributed by individual residents, though that is relatively rare.
According to Denise Crowley, resource coordinator who runs the Montgomery food pantry, there are about 65 people who use the food bank, which opened in April. Previously, residents in need were sent to the Hillsborough food bank. She said the bank collects canned items through scheduled food drives with members of the community, and is now especially in need of canned vegetables, tomato sauce and tuna.
Mayor Birge said she is glad to be using this opportunity to help the local food banks, and hopes the event draws a big crowd.
”This year, given the economic reality we face, there has been a rapid use of the food bank,” she said. “Everyone comes out a winner.”
But despite using the game as a food drive for those less fortunate, there is a small bit of competitiveness underneath as two neighboring towns play for a coveted trophy and bragging rights of the best employee softball team.
”Someone came to me and said that the back of our T-shirts (which will say Hillsborough on the front) should say ‘Win or be fired,’” Mayor Ferrera said jokingly. “There might be some potential job openings on Monday.”

