Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to your coverage of last week’s article about the Roy Johnston Baseball Renovation Project at Hawthorne Elementary School.
Your coverage was very good and greatly appreciated by both the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Santiam and the Ford Foundation Leadership Team: Cohort 4.
The renovation of this field will add greatly to programs for the youth of Sweet Home, Lebanon and Brownsville. Baseball is not only healthy exercise for our youth, but it brings generations together as all ages enjoy watching the kids play. It will also help our local economy by bringing in approximately 200 people per week during the ball season … people who will buy gas, food and shop in our stores … many who will stay to enjoy our beautiful town and its surroundings.
I do want to clarify some items in the story. The Boys and Girls Club took on the field renovation project two years ago. Over 20 items made it on the list of improvements. Over the past two years the Boys and Girls Club has completed over half of these projects with the help of numerous volunteers and donations from individuals as well as companies. The Ford Cohort is simply taking on two of the 20 projects: purchasing and installing the bases, home plates and mounds and building dugouts (when the weather permits). These two projects are not the final projects, they will simply allow the youth to play ball this season.
There is still much work that needs to be done and much help required. In particular there is a need for crushed rock, lumber, metal roofing, wood chips, landscaping plants and trees, paint and especially labor. Labor to help paint bleachers, pick up rocks that are covering the field, spreading bark on a jogging trail, building the eight dugouts, planting trees and bushes and putting in sidewalks.
Future work parties are in the planning stages. If you can help with any of the above please contact the Sweet Home Boys and Girls Club at (541) 367-6421.
Larry Horton
Sweet Home