FRIENDS HELPING FRIENDS-Chris Palomarez, a Simi Valley resident and longtime member of the local baseball community, had his home damaged by fireworks on July 4. On Sept. 9, there will be a softball tournament to raise money to help Palomarez rebuild his home. An army of ballplayers have scheduled a fundraising softball tournament for Sept. 9 to help Chris Palomarez rebuild the home he lived in for 40 years until vandals carelessly destroyed it with illegal fireworks.

Over several decades, Palomarez watched hundreds of local ballplayers on the fields of Santa Susana Boys Baseball, Susana Knolls Little League, Simi Valley High School, and beyond, play with-and against-his sons and daughters.

Now he gets to watch them play once again, to raise funds to help rebuild his home, which sustained major damage in a July 4 blaze.

"The ballplaying community in Simi Valley came together once we heard the news," said Keith Jajko, who played with Palomarez's sons Cheeky, Ray and Raul at Simi High and on local adult slow-pitch softball teams-and even with Mr. Palomarez's grandsons.

"It has been discussed all summer, and now we're all coming together to compete for the cause," Jajko said. "We want Mr. Palomarez to get back into his home as soon as possible."

The Hits for Home doubleelimination coed slow-pitch tournament is scheduled for Sat., Sept. 9, at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park in east Simi Valley, not far from Palomarez's home.

The tournament is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at the park, located on Los Angeles Ave., east of Stearns Street and across the street from the Metrolink station.

The cost is $25 per player, and already eight of 12 team spots are filled. Checks can be made to Chris Palomarez and are due by Sept. 1.

Interested managers or players should e-mail Gina Gooding at mgooding8@yahoo.com. Individual players can also be placed on teams. Gooding is chairing the event.

"When we needed our friends and family in our time of need, the Palomarez family was there without fail and without question, and I remember how much it helped and was appreciated," Gooding said. "And now one of my friends needs help."

Besides ballplaying, the event will feature many activities for families and children, including food, carnival booths, a children's bounce house, raffle prizes, the Ventura County Sheriff's K-9 Unit, and a silent auction by ProSignatures, owned and operated by Simi Valley High School graduates Marc Schultz and Danny Casson.

Organizers are also seeking sponsors and donated items and services for the fundraiser.

Field sponsorships are available for $50, which comes with an 18-by-24-inch white vinyl banner with company or sponsor names to hang on field fences during the tournament, and distribution of sponsor business cards to event participants and visitors.

Also needed are volunteer umpires, donations of gift certificates or items to raffle off, volunteers for a variety of tasks including the snack bar and T-shirt sales, field maintenance volunteers and baked goods for a bake sale.

Anyone interested in volunteering to work at the tournament should e-mail Aggie Palomarez at a_razkal@yahoo.com.

Those who wish to bake goods for the bake sale can email Rachel Massey at themtndude@sbcglobal.net.

Additionally, aside from the tournament, organizers are seeking construction tradesmen who can volunteer time or materials to help rebuild the Palomarez home.

For more information, call Gina Gooding at (805) 583-4462, or Keith Jajko at (805) 404-4367.