By TRINA “INDI” JOHNSON
Special to the PRESS
The Isla Blanca Park campground community showed incredible support this summer for 6-year-old Matthew Luna, a young baseball player from Edinburg who recently competed in the Pony World Series in Louisiana. Known for his powerful swing and relentless dedication, Matthew has become a source of pride not only for his family but also for the amazing people at Isla Blanca Park who rallied behind him every step of the way.
Matthew, a left-handed fielder and right-handed batter, began playing baseball at age three in the 3U Astros Palmview league. Now with Mafia 956’s 7U team, he just completed his final season of T-ball, helping his team secure the runner-up position in a grueling tournament featuring 20 teams. His mother, Daisy Barajas, described the journey as a true blessing. “We were super excited for him because his dedication and commitment to this sport teached him that anything is possible if you put the work in.”
The Isla Blanca Park community’s support blossomed after Matthew posted a photo over the Fourth of July weekend holding a fundraising poster. “Matthew had a bbq plates sale, cake sale, and poster donation fundraiser,” Barajas said. “Our Isla Blanca community showered him with so much love. From words of encouragement to monetary donations. I read the comments to Matthew and his smile was priceless. He told me and his dad, ‘Mom I need to play super hard to make 956 proud.’”
What began as a simple Facebook post grew into a full village effort, with donations and encouragement flooding in from campers and residents alike. “We were shocked how one simple Facebook post in Isla Blanca group became a big support system for our son Matthew,” Barajas said. That outpouring boosted Matthew’s confidence and reminded him he had a whole community behind him. “His confidence skyrocketed when we read all the positive comments from his Isla Blanca community. Matthew is beyond blessed and grateful.”
The support followed Matthew all the way to Louisiana, where older boys from a 15U Rio Grande City team gave him advice and encouragement before the tournament began. His team’s unity strengthened through the competition, teaching the boys the power of working together. “This tournament made Matthew and his team more united. It really taught them unity. It taugth them that it was a team effort. That united they stand,” Barajas said.
As Matthew transitions from T-ball to coach pitch, his family says he carries with him lessons far beyond baseball skills. “After 39 games Matthew’s biggest takeaways are to keep working hard. Do not give up on your dreams because everything is possible in life.”
Matthew himself shared a heartfelt message for the Isla Blanca Park campground community. “I wholeheartedly appreciate the love and support Isla Blanca community gave me. It gave me the confidence to go and make 956 Valley proud. This win is dedicated to all the words of encouragement and the support everyone gave me. Matthew couldn’t have done this without you all. ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’”
The Isla Blanca Park campground community continues to be a steadfast source of encouragement for Matthew and his team as they prepare for the challenges ahead.
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