ZELIENOPLE — Team Winkle is on a roll — not necessarily on the field.

Definitely in the community.

Krista Winkle is head coach of the Seneca Valley North 15-under and 12-under softball teams. Two years ago, SV North's two 12-U teams lost their home field to flooding.

They wound up playing at Zelienople Community Park and finished in the top two spots in the league standings, combining for just one loss.

“The girls learned about overcoming adversity by working together that year,” Winkle said. “Last year, we decided to take that a step further.”

SV North decided to pick a cause and have a fundraiser to help it. A longtime member of its association was battling breast cancer, so the team held a softball game to raise money for the family.

“We raised $1,000 and were able to give her a nice gift basket with it, all through donations we collected at a table,” Winkle said.

This season, Team Winkle is helping one of its own again. Rowan Dunn, 9, plays on the association's under-9 team. She was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2018.

“A Walk For Rowan” took place early Thursday evening. The walk began at Zelienople Community Park and extended into downtown Zelienople.

A team page was set up on the SV North website as a vehicle for people to donate to Rowan's battle with epilepsy.

“We figured to have 50 or more walkers,” assistant coach Kristi Barnyk said. “Many will be wearing T-shirts designed for the cause.

“Some young children and older people will be walking, so we're not making the walk too long or strenuous.”

Just effective.

Rowan has two older sisters playing in the association. Morgan, 14, plays on the 15-U team while Jordan, 12, plays for the 12-U squad.

Pizza and cupcakes were to be served after the walk. Winkle said the fundraising goal was $500. There was $2,110 raised as of Friday morning with more donations anticipated.

“We'll keep that (Walk For Rowan) page open all season,” Winkle said. “We've been able to collect enough to give Rowan a gift basket as well.”

Rowan has been playing on the 10-U team this season without incident.

“She's had no seizures for a good while now,” Cori Dunn, Rowan's mother, said. “We're hoping the medication we're using now will prevent them from happening in the future.

“Rowan loves softball. All of my girls do. What all of these girls are doing is fantastic. Obviously, this comes very close to my heart.”

Winkle pointed out that her teams' motto is always “fight like a girl.”

The Epilepsy Foundation received word of the walk and Colleen Fulkerson of the Epilepsy Association of Western and Central Pa. attended and participated in the walk. She spoke to the gathering as well.

“This is doing so much,” Barnyk said of the walk. “It's building and strengthening relationships and community, along with providing awareness and education about epilepsy.”

“It's great to see kids learning to give back and seeing the importance of that at such a young age,” Dunn said.

Softball is about team.

This team is about community.

“We'll come up with a cause every season,” Winkle said. “I'm very proud of the community work these girls do.

“They are a great group of kids being raised by a great community of parents.”