Once a Hawk, always a Hawk!

That theory surfaced – perhaps like never before – Sunday afternoon inside the Knights of Columbus at 475 Sandy Lane in Warwick during an extraordinary fundraiser to help Donna Campbell with her ever-mounting medical expenses.

“This is what Bishop Hendricken is all about,” Fran Arrigan, who along with her husband Fred, has been a huge part of the Hawks’ fabric longer than the list of the Green and Gold’s storied sports successes said. “What a shame. Donna is such a beautiful person; no person should have to go through this.”

It was back on Jan. 24 of this year when Donna Campbell fell down stairs, broke her neck and severed her spinal cord. She remains paralyzed from the waist down. Since then, her and her husband Bill’s lives have been filled with adversity, but Sunday took a lot of sting out of their pain.

“Seems like everyone who’s anybody in Rhode Island sports is here,” Al Campbell, brother of Donna’s loving husband Bill, who is a former Hendricken pitching coach, said. “This is absolutely wonderful; a great show of support and for that our family says thank you to everyone who’s here.”

Another man, who has been closely connected with Hendricken athletics for nearly a half century, added: “This is a special show of respect from all the Hawks – and even their rivals – who really stepped up to the plate to help the Campbells.”

Baseball-wise, Dave Stenhouse – the legendary Westerly native and URI alum who became the first pitcher to ever start the Major League Baseball All-Star Game as a rookie – headed the list of Campbell supporters.

Stenhouse, who along with his sons own and operate the highly-acclaimed Rhode Island Baseball Institute, worked with Campbell during his coaching days.

There was even an international running connection, as Ray Treacy – who along with his brother and Olympic medalist John Treacy came to Providence College from their native Ireland and became two of the biggest all-time names in cross country and track in America.

Ray Treacy, who has been at PC for 32 years, is a long-time friend of Al Campbell, who compiled his own eye-popping records in the running world.

Of course, there were past and present Hawks – from Hendricken’s highly-respected president and former sports standout John Jackson to legendary former Hawks assistant basketball and baseball coach Dave Kenny – who answered the call for help that came from current baseball boss Ed Holloway and former faculty members like Mike Benedetto.

“There’s a lot of proud (Hendricken) people in this room,” offered Brian Iafrate, who has his own storied sports success at Johnston High. “This is about people caring for others in a time of need.”

Iafrate, who continues to give back in the form of youth sports, came to Sunday’s benefit with fellow Johnstonians David and Colleen Kennedy, whose son Matthew Kennedy is a standout baseball pitcher for the Hawks.

For some six hours Sunday, people from all over Rhode Island packed into the K-of-C Hall and enjoyed a delicious pasta dinner and purchased myriad raffle tickets, the profits of which they’re hoping will put at least some sort of dent in the Campbell’s ongoing medical expenses.

“There’s a lot of love and respect for her today,” Fran Arrigan added while renewing long-lasting friendships she and her husband have made through the years. “Today is an example of just how close-knit the Hendricken family really is and has been for years.”

As the old saying goes: “We are Hawks forever!”