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WORTHINGTON -- The Worthington Area Youth Baseball Association effort to fundraise for improvements to the Worthington middle school baseball field is advancing like a speedy runner taking off from first base on a hit to the gap. The most recent procurement is a $15,000 matching grant from the Worthington Regional Health Care Foundation.
The foundation’s executive director, Jeff Rotert, along with WAYBA board members Tiffany Neugebauer and Julie Linder were at the field Thursday, along with WAYBA chairman Jason Turner, to formally pass the check.
Recently, the baseball association received a $50,000 grant from 1st State Bank Southwest. Another $15,000 grant from Austin’s Astrup Family Foundation, owners of Sterling Pharmacies, has incentivized others to contribute more funds.
Currently, the fund-raising effort is more than halfway to its $155,000 goal.
“Our membership has been awesome in stepping forward and realizing the power of the match,” said Turner.
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The Worthington Regional Health Care Foundation grant money will go toward new netting for the field. Both Turner and Rotert believe it’s just the kind of project that the foundation, which is centered around health and safety issues, strives for.
“The (field) project in and of itself is pretty exciting for Worthington. And the board saw that,” said Rotert.
The baseball field effort is wide-ranging. Several improvements to have already been made, and plans are ongoing to move the batting cages, create an arched entry to the complex, to cover the main set of bleachers with a steel structure, to provide an elevated viewing deck above the third-base dugout, and fashion a berm beyond the left-field fence to improve viewing options there.
People may donate to the Baseball Field Capital Campaign through WAYBA’s online site at worthingtonyouthbaseball.com.
