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Celebrity athletes and actors play baseball in Aldergrove on Saturday

Xmen star Katie Stuart, UFC fighter Jason 'Dooms' Day and numerous Canucks alumnus play for charity at Parkside diamond at 11 a.m.
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Canuck alumni and Langley Knights coach and GM John Craighead (acting as Ump)

Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the show.

A celebrity softball game is being played at the annual Aldergrove Days Slo-Pitch tournament this weekend.

Come to Parkside Elementary ball diamond at 11 a.m. on Saturday to watch numerous Canucks alumni like Cliff Ronning, Garth Butcher, Xmen actress Katie Stuart, UFC fighter Jason 'Dooms' Day and many more hit one out of the park for the cause of helping abused children.

Sexual abuse survivor Andy Bhatti has played in the slo-pitch tournament for years and thought what a great way to spread awareness and raise money for a worthy cause.

"Lots of people ask why do this in Aldergrove? I put together this many celebrities, but I think Aldergrove is the best place. It's my own town and this is where awareness is needed," said Bhatti, a recent recipient of the Courage to Come Back Award in the addictions category.

Bhatti was sexually abused by his Big Brother when he joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Langley at the age of nine.

His abuser was later convicted for abusing two boys in Kamloops. But Bhatti never told anyone about the abuse and instead escaped his reality by using heroine. He found himself living in the Downtown Eastside because 'that was a place I wasn't being judged and where I felt comfortable.'

Now nearly nine years clean - Bhatti has made it his mission to spread awareness and provide support to other survivors. He started up his own non-profit Survivors Supporting Survivors. He is now a certified interventionist and is helping abuse survivors and addicts get the help they need.

Canucks alumni like Langley's John Craighead and Kyle Wellwood will join UFC fighter Jason Dooms Day, Just 4 Laughs comedian Darcy Michaels and Stuart (who played Kitty in Xmen) among other celebrities who will play in the charity game.

Following the game people can meet the stars and get their autograph by donation as well as participate in a silent auction and raffle prizes including a 55 inch TV donated by Langley Chrysler, $700 bike from Cranky's and a Jose Canseco bat.

There are an estimated 50 ball teams playing in the Aldergrove Days tournament that goes all Saturday and Sunday.

Bhatti figured with this many people at the park it was a great opportunity to raise awareness about sexual abuse and to raise money for Sophie's Place, the first centre in B.C. of its kind to provide wrap around services to children who suffer trauma like sexual abuse.

Bhatti continues to advocate for children who have experienced sexual abuse. Hearing from a victim of abuse in Newfoundland, Bhatti will be biking across that province on July 25 to Aug. 8, spreading awareness and funds to help sexually abused children. Currently Newfoundland has no victim services and the nearest help for kids is in Ontario, said Bhatti.

"Every province should have a centre like Sophie's Place," said Bhatti.

Here in B.C., Sophie's Place offers compassionate services under one roof and was the only one of its kind in the province. Seeing its success has led to one recently opening in Maple Ridge and five more expected to open in B.C.

Sadly, this service is much in demand.

One in three girls are sexual abused and one in five boys.

The Internet has created all sorts of new young victims, said the Centre for Child Development's Judy Krawchuck. The Centre is connected with Sophie's Place. They have an office, attached to Options, on Eastleigh Crescent.

Krawchuck said the Centre for Child Development helps kids with special needs, it's a good fit to be working with Sophie's Place now.

"Children with special needs are six to 10 times more likely to be abused," she said.

Child luring and sexual explotation through the Internet is a growing problem in B.C., said Krawchuck.

For Bhatti, who is a trained interventionist as well as being trained in prevention , he gets around 10 men contacting him after he holds an event to say they were also sexual abused as a child but they have never said it publicly.

"I can refer them to get help. Once they get counselling, their relationships get better and they can see this wasn't their fault and that they aren't alone."

Bhatti also will be handing out brochures that include prevention concepts. He has been trained in explaining warning and key prevention steps parents can know to avoid their children becoming victims.

To find out more about Bhatti's organization go to supportingsurvivors.ca or to donate to Sophie's Place through his ride in Newfoundland go to http:/bit.ly/RideMilesforSmiles



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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