- December 5, 2025
T.J. Jones runs to first base. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Beach store manager Brandon Goldberg coached at first base and played first base in the field. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Cliff Guerrier kicks high. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Event coordinator Josh Roberts gets set to kick. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Josh Roberts kicks the ball. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Kahlyl, son of Kiara Bass, runs the bases. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Kahlyl, son of Publix associate Kiara Bass. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Lauriah Hoilman gets set to kick. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Lauriah Hoilman follows through. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The Flagler Beach store won the title. Courtesy photo
Kickball is usually a children's game. But adults were playing the classic playground sport June 8 at Holland Park. Associates from seven Publix stores competed in a kickball tournament to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network.
Publix annually raises funds for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. This year's campaign ran from June 1 to June 12. Josh Roberts, customer service team leader at the Island Walk store, wanted to add a team-building aspect to the campaign. So, he organized the kickball tournament in which associates from the five Flagler County Publix stores and two St. Johns County stores competed.
Associates from the seven stores contributed a total of $800 to the Children Miracle Network, said Beach Village store manager Brandon Goldberg.
Goldberg's store won the tournament, and the $800 was credited to the store's fund raising total for the campaign.
"These were just associates' donations," Roberts said. "It was a good way to get our stores together."
Emma Swearingen scored the winning run on a Sam Petrin sacrifice fly to give the Beach Village store a 5-4 victory in the championship game against the St. Augustine Moultrie store.
Swearingen, a rising senior at Flagler Palm Coast High who plays soccer for FPC and Florida Elite Soccer Academy, "was our ace in the hole," a Beach Village associate said.
