PPBA Opening Day 2024 Brings Community Together
By KAMBIZ KAMDAR
As a 15-year resident of the Palisades, one organization that has brought my family immense joy is the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association (PPBA).
I joined the league’s board five years ago, and it has been a privilege to coach both of my sons through their baseball journeys. My youngest is currently in his second year as a Mustang, while my older son, a freshman at Pali High, plays on the JV baseball team. I’ve had the honor of coaching them during the regular season, the all-star season, and even in Cooperstown.
Over the past five years, I’ve been deeply involved in the PPBA community, including running the Bat & Grill for two years before the fires.
Saturdays at the “Field of Dreams” are among the most enjoyable days of spring, filled with simultaneous games, families, and players gathering at the Bat & Grill before and after matches. Opening day is one of the highlights of the year in Pacific Palisades, rivaled only by the 4th of July. The PPBA has truly been special for my family.
In the wake of the 2025 Palisades Fire, the board worked tirelessly to ensure we could have a season at Cheviot Pony to keep a tradition alive that started in 1954.
This year, we’ve partnered with Santa Monica Pony, and we recently celebrated our opening day on February 21. While we are grateful to Santa Monica Pony for hosting us, we are eager to return to our own fields.
Last season, after opening day, we applied for a grant from Fire Aid. As a nonprofit, we felt confident in our eligibility, especially since we knew Palisades Charter High School had successfully received a grant after losing their fields and is now building a new one at Cheviot Hills Recreation Center.
Given the extensive damage to our fields at the Palisades Recreation Center and the equipment lost, we requested a substantial amount to replace all necessary baseball gear, Bat & Grill equipment, wind screens, signage, and more. We believed this request was a no-brainer, considering that PPBA serves over 300 kids in the Palisades annually.
I understand Fire Aid’s limitations in providing funds to individuals, but a nonprofit dedicated to serving our community’s youth should not be overlooked.
It has been disheartening to see other nonprofits receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid while we wait. As reports emerge about the third round of grants being awarded, I felt compelled to speak out. Our contact at Fire Aid, with whom we communicated extensively last fall, has not responded to my recent inquiries. Our need is still here.
Although we have received a generous donation from the Pacific Palisades Community Council, I am at a loss as to why FireAid has not stepped up. It is difficult to comprehend how the board of FireAid makes its decisions and why certain nonprofits are prioritized over others.