The Providence softball team has endured a tremendous loss on the way home from a victorious game last week. The team’s bus was unfortunately broken into during a well-earned stop on the way back home.

Re-posted originally from the Providence Athletics Instagram page, Central Catholic’s Instagram page released the following caption saying, “On Wednesday, March 31 our Providence’s varsity Softball team stopped for dinner after another district win. Unfortunately, on their way out they were greeted by police officers responding to multiple car break-ins including our school bus. Numerous students lost everything they had with them, including laptops, backpacks, school uniforms, charging cords & even water bottles. While this heartbreaking incident has left the Providence community hurting, it has also strengthened the close bond that this team already shares. As the recovery process begins, the team will hold a plate sale in an effort to help the families affected.”

This was followed by Central’s page saying, “The Brotherhood at Central Catholic will support the sisterhood.”

Natalia Cardenas, starting pitcher for the team, explains her experience that night with what was supposed to be a post-win triumph, and simply says, “We secured the win and got it stolen within a few hours.” Strong, but sufficient words from Cardenas to sum up the team’s feeling as a whole.

Bags containing tools and necessities for school, gone. Their hearts and feelings, along with those of the community- saddened and broken following the incident. Cardenas explains her first encounter with the situation saying, “After walking up to the scene and the officer had asked for our coach, I had seen the girls faces in front of me drop and I knew something was very wrong.”

She continues, “We waited for a while until we could go into the bus to retrieve whatever was left. I hoped for the best but knew it was going to be the worst. In all honesty it was a little better than the worst.”

However, she continues on to say, “Our team really came together and comforted each other. So much was lost but we found ways to make one another laugh and look at the bright side of it. Yes we did come off a big win. We secured the bag and got it stolen within a few hours. In the end I was thinking about why things happen the way they do, I was happy that everyone was okay and nothing worse happened. I quickly thought of ways to give back to those that were stolen from.”

Cardenas reflects on the days following the incident, saying, “we all dealt with the event differently.”

“We came together to pray,” she says. “Our bond grew closer and we planned to host a BBQ plate sell in hopes to get back just a little bit of what we lost. We didn’t know that it was going to take off like it did,” she continued.

And it did take off tremendously. More than 270 shares on the original Facebook post, has called the community in and around to help the team recover some of their lost values back. “The community heard about our situation and wanted to help,” Cardenas says.

She also explains her gratitude for the community’s help, including the support of the Brotherhood at Central Catholic High School. “We were always just a small school that no one knew or “that school across the street from CC.” There was never a true understanding of what Providence was or had to offer. We are grateful for the amount of support and the continued brother and sister hood we share with the community, parents and schools from around the archdiocese,” she says.

Plates are on sale for $7.00, and you can place an order to help using the link provided below. It is required you purchase online for contact free pickup at the event. It takes places Sunday, April 11 from noon-4pm on the Providence campus. Drinks, and other food items will also be available for cash or card purchase on-site.

https://www.providencecatholicschool.net/index.php?cID=688