Senior Softball Fans Finally Got Some Shade

A big thank you to the Pineno Family who made a donation in Memory of Charles Pineno to make this happen, according to Tom Polston, Commissioner for the Marco Island Senior Softball League. Bill Shurina, a former Commissioner, also extended his gratitude for Tom’s perseverance in seeing this project through. It took three years of hard work and determination, and now the fans can have a shaded area to sit in comfort and cheer their favorite players and team. 

On June 21, 2022, Ruth Ann Pineno on behalf of the Pineno family presented the League with a very generous contribution at the bequest of her late husband, Dr. Charles J. Pineno, a former Marco Island Senior Softball player. Accepting the donation were Bill Shurina, Ed Caster, Bill Moors, Tom Polston and Randy Wesolowski. 

In his retirement, Charles Pineno was dedicated and passionate about many organizations in Marco Island. He enjoyed playing softball along with many activities through the Italian American Society of Marco Island. His most beloved was the “Marco Island Bocce League” which he started in 2017 and grew to 162 members in 2019. Charles J. Pineno was 77 when he died on August 8, 2021. 

According to Tom Polston, pick-up games are now officially over and scheduled official practices start after Christmas on Dec 26th, with the 2025 season starting on January 6, 2025, with 16 teams and three divisions. Already the shade is receiving positive comments from fans such as Marie Cherry Roche, “I love this – I’ve been sitting under a tree for a long time.” Marcy Marinelli added, “What a thoughtful gift to the league. Thank you.” Elaine Lancaster chimed in, “Thanks for making this possible.”