Little League- a time that’s supposed to build sportsmanship and character. It’s a time our mayor just told us that you “learn life’s lessons.” One lesson we’re learning this year is that our kids aren’t important.
For reasons that no one has yet been able to explain, our league has decided to stock our food stands with more peanut products than ever before. Despite pleas from both parents and even our league’s own safety officer, the peanut products remain. It seems that keeping the peanut-allergic kids alive, safe and focused on baseball is not a league priority.
Yes, I understand that the league is not-for-profit and that selling food raises money for the league. But is selling peanut M&MS and peanut trail mix really necessary for making money? Does the financial success of the league rest on volume peanut M&MS sales?
Here’s what I know- there are at least 4 children in the Farm league that have peanut allergies (2 on my son’s team alone). Kids sadly can and do die from peanuts (an 11 year old out-of-state boy died last week). No one has ever died because they were prevented from eating peanut products at a little league baseball game.
So here’s my question: if you could make life safer for at least 4 little kids just by not selling peanut products at their baseball games, wouldn’t you?
In our league, the answer seems to be no.
******UPDATE********
My faith in the goodness and common sense of the people in my community, and especially our little league, has been restored! Moments ago I received an email from the league that they are removing peanut products from the food stands, effective immediately! As my son rightly said, today is a good day!
CT Food Allergy Mom 