Joey Zorio is an inspiration, even to those who didn't know him

I wish I had personally known Joey Zorio. Sadly, I'll never have that opportunity. He died unexpectedly on Feb. 22 at age 42. Since then, I've read scores of accolades about this Placer High 1999 graduate who spent all his late teen and adult years as a volunteer to enrich the lives of others. Joey spent more than half his life being a positive influence to thousands of area children and their families over the years, starting in the late 1990s when he was a Rocklin Little League umpire and still a teen. Volunteering for 21 consecutive years, Joey became the league's longest-tenured board member. He also served in other responsibilities, including snack bar coordinator and events coordinator. That's more than two decades that the beloved Roseville resident volunteered for Little League, a nonprofit organization that promotes dedication, teamwork, socialization, healthy exercise and fun. Rocklin Little League President Chris May said that Joey "always had a knack" for knowing which children might not have money for a treat from the snack bar or were a few cents short. "It was some kind of almost secret talent he had. He could always spot those kids and he would kind of pull them aside," May said, "and let them pick up trash around the snack bar, in order to 'earn' however much money it was they needed for their favorite treat. It was just a really cool aspect about Joey that I always noticed and loved about him." He also officiated at high school sports. The 190 tributes on Rocklin Little League's Facebook page, as of last Friday night, speak lovingly about Joey and how much he will be missed. Michael Lang wrote, "I can't even come close to expressing how much this hurts. Joey helped teach me the game from behind the plate and I'll always be thankful for the many seasons I got to spend with him, from umpiring together to cooking burgers on the grill. Being able to have him as a mentor was such an amazing opportunity and watching him reach the heights he did, doing something he was so passionate about, gave everybody around him inspiration." From Feb. 22 to March 3, $9,195 from 120 donations was raised in an $8,000 Gofundme goal to help his family during this difficult time. Several Gofundme comments defined Joey's dedication, including Megan Klippel posting, "Joey was such a pillar in the Rocklin Community always helping anyone who asked" and Lucas Giltner posting, "Thanks Joey for being such an impact on the Rocklin Little League the last 21 years." The Rocklin Little League will hold a memorial for Joey on opening day on March 11, beginning at 9 a.m. The league will also honor Joey with a new batter's eye containing his umpire number and silhouette. In addition, Joey's silhouette will be on the right sleeve of each player's jersey. By reading about Joey's ongoing work with the Rocklin Little League, I was moved by the hours he donated to an organization that benefits the area's youth. And I'm inspired by his generosity in volunteering for the community organization. While I've always had good intentions to volunteer for several causes and organizations that I'm thankful for, I haven't made the effort to commit to more than a few occasional hours. Now, I will rectify my procrastination and commit to volunteering weekly in Joey's honor. There are hundreds of nonprofit organizations in Placer County. Volunteering is a selfless and priceless gift to give these organizations. Because of Joey, I'm reminded that we can also help our favorite nonprofit organizations aid other community members.