Daren Grande

2022 Newtown Square Friend & Neighbor of The Year!

Resident Feature by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

Photos by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com

Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is proud to feature families, groups and individuals who make a difference in our community. This month, we turn our attention to Daren Grande, a dedicated husband, father and volunteer who has been serving as President of Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL) for almost a decade. We are excited to honor Daren as our 2022 Newtown Square Friend & Neighbor of the Year!

Daren grew up in Broomall with his parents, his brother and three sisters. He went to Russell Elementary School, Paxon Hollow Middle School and graduated from Marple Newtown High School.

I loved growing up here,” Daren said. “It was — and still is! — a great place to raise a family.

He played baseball for South Marple Little League and then soccer and football at Paxon Hollow and Marple Newtown. Daren went on to earn his degree in Criminal Justice from Kutztown University, where he also minored in Fine Arts.

I really loved all of the diverse courses I was able to take at Kutztown,” Daren explained. “By minoring in Fine Arts, I had the opportunity to design and create projects working with different mediums and methods like ceramics, woodworking, welding and paint.

After graduation, Daren moved back to our area. “There really was no doubt that I wanted to come back," he said. “My parents still live in Broomall, and three of my four siblings live nearby.” Shortly after he returned, Daren met his future wife, Alicia.

Alicia was friends with my college roommate’s sister,” Daren explained. “We were introduced one night while we were all out in Ardmore. We began dating, got married a few years later, and will celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary this September.

Darren Grande

Daren recalls that when he and Alicia were first settling down, her father was instrumental in the home they chose to buy. “We were looking at a house near the Newtown Township Building, and there was some open space that backed up to the yard,” Daren said.

The township had placed a bench there, and it overlooked one of the baseball fields. My father-in-law looked at me and said, ‘One of these days, you’re going to be able to sit on this bench and watch your kids play ball.’

His words sealed the deal, and Daren and Alicia signed the papers.

As the couple began their married life together, Daren began working for his father-in-law’s construction company.

I helped build homes in the area,” Daren said. “I was involved in the entire process from start to finish and was able to put to work a lot of the skills I learned in college.

Daren does admit that he’s pretty handy but would appreciate it if we didn’t mention that to Alicia!

These days, Daren is the National Sales Manager for Evenlite Inc., which provides emergency lighting and egress solutions for commercial clients. “I manage 38 sales representatives throughout the United States and Puerto Rico,” he explained. “We design and install custom products for sports stadiums, concert halls, museums and corporate complexes.” When Daren’s not traveling to meet with his sales reps and clients, he spends his time working from Everlite’s offices in Berwyn and Trevose. “And as my wife and kids will attest, when I’m not at work, I’m at NELL.”

Darren Grande: 2022 Newtown Square Friend & Neighbor of The Year

Daren and Alicia have three children: Gavin, Ty and Brooklyn. Gavin just finished his sophomore year at Kutztown University. This fall, Ty will be a senior at Malvern Prep, and Brooklyn will be entering 8th grade at St. Anastasia School.

Just as Alicia’s father had predicted, that bench became a spot for Daren to watch his kids play baseball. Gavin and Ty played at NELL from tee ball through the majors, and Brooklyn played tee ball for a few years before shifting her focus to field hockey.

Even as I was growing up, NELL was known as the best place to play baseball,” Daren said. “Having my kids play there was really exciting, so I signed on to volunteer the first chance I got.

Active board members (L to R): Ashee Bhan, Chuck Juliano, Daren Grande, Mike Schaffer and Mike McCalla

Daren began coaching at NELL and helped maintain the fields and indoor facility. A few years later, he joined the Board of Directors and took on more responsibility. Then in 2013, the President of the Board, Tom Coughlan, retired, and Daren was elected to fill Tom’s position.

If there is something that needs to be done, he is the first one to roll up his sleeves," Board member Mike McCalla described Daren as a hands-on leader. "NELL is fortunate to have him.

Today, NELL has 20 Board members, all of whom Daren says are committed to upholding the high standards set by Board members who served before them.

“I may be the President of the Board, but I do not do this alone,” Daren commented. “Aside from our dedicated Board members, we have a strong network of parent volunteers who help with field maintenance, building renovations, snack bar management and special event coordination.” Daren said it takes a total team effort by the Board, the volunteers and his family. “I have to give my wife and kids credit here, too,” Daren said. “I spend a lot of time at NELL, but they know and understand just how special this organization is to me.”

Visitors who come to NELL are always amazed by this sports complex, which offers a memorable experience for players and families. It’s an impressive layout of eight meticulously maintained fields, six outdoor batting cages, a 15,000 square-foot indoor facility, a snack bar that rivals area restaurants, and plenty of on-site parking.

Aside from the impressive list of amenities, Daren said that much more is still on the horizon.

Since 2021, we have been undergoing a major and much-needed renovation,” he said. “We have a new snack bar and new bathrooms, and players love the new dugouts and field improvements!

Such improvements included a complete overhaul of Field 1 with new fencing, scoreboard, backstop and renovations to the Peterson Building that sits behind home plate.

The 2022 season is underway!

Daren shared more exciting news.

For the first time since 1996, NELL has been chosen to host the 2023 Pennsylvania State Tournament!” he said. “So, these renovations are happening at the perfect time.

The tournament, for 11- and 12-year-old players, will bring the top eight teams in the state to NELL. The winning team will then advance to the Mid-Atlantic region tournament where they will play for the opportunity to go to the Little League World Series.

These exciting renovations come at a price of course. Because NELL is a volunteer-directed 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they rely heavily on volunteers and funding from the community. One of the fundraising initiatives is NELL’s Green Picket Fence campaign: Families can purchase a personalized engraved placard that will be affixed to the new composite fence surrounding Field 1.

I am always amazed at the generosity of NELL families,” said Daren. “But NELL’s corporate and private Sponsors, as well as Township officials, consistently step up to the plate, too. (Pun intended!)

On Saturday May 14th, players, families and friends gathered for the annual NELL Day. It was a day-long fundraising event featuring raffles for cash and prizes, games and activities for all ages, themed gift baskets and a silent auction. Some gift basket prizes included sports memorabilia and game tickets, home and garden decor, spa treatment packages and gift cards galore.

Daren sharing a special moment with CJ Cunningham

“We hosted an incredibly fun and eventful day, and welcomed families to our 2022 Baseball season,” Daren said. “Families were able to watch baseball all day, spend time doing activities they love with the whole family, and also had the chance to win special prizes throughout the day. Every team in the league played that day, and there was a Home Run Derby and several All-Star Games to finish out the event.”

Running and managing the area’s premier little league is no easy task. It carries a lot of responsibility and requires a lot of time, dedication and consideration for upholding NELL’s impressive legacy. It’s a job that Daren does exceptionally well. “I love what I do and am honored to serve as NELL’s President of the Board.”

Thank you, Daren, for giving so much of your time and talents to the Newtown Edgmont Little League and for being the perfect example of our mission of Bringing People Together.

Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner- Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com. NS

We would like to thank Alpha Century Security for sponsoring this month’s Resident Feature.

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