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PITTSFIELD YOUTH BASEBALL ASSOCIATION RECEIVES GRANT FROM THE
BASEBALL TOMORROW FUND
PITTSFIELD, N. H. NOVEMBER 18 –
The Pittsfield Youth Baseball Association (PYBA) was recently
awarded a grant in the amount of $54,590 from the Baseball Tomorrow
Fund (BTF). The grant will support the renovation and enlargement
of Pittsfield Youth Athletic Park and provide funding for a silt
fence, loam, infield mix, fencing and a backstop.
The three existing ball fields will be
elevated, regraded, and crowned so that huge puddles of water will
no longer collect on the fields after rainstorms. A new ball field
for youth ages 13-16 will be installed on the recently purchased
adjacent property. This will, for the first time, allow PYBA to have
its own baseball field with 90-foot base paths on which to play at
the Babe Ruth level as well as host regional tournaments.
Additionally, handicapped access walkways will be installed and a
parking lot will be built away from the playing fields making for a
much safer park for both players and spectators.
"This is a wonderful opportunity, not
only for our program, but for the children who play the game," said
Steve Davis, President of PYBA. "Without these funds, the
Association would struggle for years to make the upgrades, which are
an absolute necessity. The grant will help make our big dream for a
small town become a reality."
"The Baseball Tomorrow Fund appreciates
PYBA's commitment to youth baseball and softball in its community.
We are pleased to support the continued growth of this program,"
added Cathy Bradley, Executive Director of the Baseball Tomorrow
Fund.
Other major
supporters of the project include the Brown Engineering, Epsom Land
Clearing, the Foss Family Foundation, J. Parker and Daughters,
Frederick Nutter, Public Service of New Hampshire, the Pittsfield
Rotary Club, The Sanderson Fund, Carl Sherblum of Sunset Hill
Design, and the Women of Rotary. Dozens of local businesses,
industries and individuals have made substantial donations as well.
PYBA is still accepting, and in need of, in-kind and monetary
contributions. Those interested in donating to the project may
contact Larry Berkson
at (603) 798-3984.
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund is designed to
promote and enhance the growth of baseball throughout the world by
funding programs, field improvements and equipment purchases to
encourage and maintain youth participation in baseball and
softball. Since its inception in 1999, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund
has awarded grants totaling more than $10 million, benefiting nearly
120,000 youth participating in more than 250 youth baseball and
softball programs across the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the
Caribbean, Europe and Asia. For
more information visit
www.baseballtomorrowfund.com.
PYBA
was incorporated 28 years ago by a group of volunteers interested in
providing an opportunity for Pittsfield's youth to play baseball and
softball. Beginning with an old sandpit and field donated for use by
town luminary William Freese, first one, and then two and finally
three playing fields were developed. Later, soccer was added to the
program, a concession stand erected and a batting cage built. Today
the Association has over 100 volunteers helping 250 youth ages 4-16
on 18 baseball and softball teams, and nearly 200 youth on 15 soccer
teams. There are no paid staff members.
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