WORTHINGTON — The Worthington Area Youth Baseball Association (WAYBA) was awarded a $7,000 Fields For Kids matching grant from the Minnesota Twins Community Fund.
The grant will help fund improvements including rebuilding the pitcher’s mound and installing professional foul poles where more than 50 games are played each spring and summer season.
“This is something that I felt has been needed for a while. This grant will go a long way to completing the playing field portion of the project WAYBA has been driving for around three years” said Jason Turner, WAYBA chairperson. “We have a goal of approximately $200,000 to invest in the areas outside of the playing field to improve the experience for fans and players alike. These funds and the matching funds we hope to raise will be used on the field of play.”
WAYBA plans to raise the remaining funds by hosting a WAYBA Meat Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27, in the Running’s parking lot in Worthington. The meat will include pork loins, butts, St Louis-style ribs and some bellies provided by JBS, a corporate friend of WAYBA.
WAYBA was established in 1989, with more than 120 youths ages 7-18 involved in the program each summer. The program is self-funded, raising money by staffing concession stands for more than 50 games each spring and summer, along with hosting tournaments. Dollars raised cover maintenance, equipment, umpire fees and league fees. WAYBA partners with District 518 and the City of Worthington to provide field maintenance and manicuring.
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The Twins Community Fund’s Fields For Kids grant program provides financial support to improve baseball and softball facilities for youth in the Upper Midwest and Southwest Florida. The program makes matching grants to nonprofit organizations and local government units that operate baseball and/or softball programs. The Twins Community Fund and its grant programs are supported in part by its cornerstone partners — Target, US Bank, Treasure Island and Delta — and fans across Twins Territory.
Since its inception in 1999, the Fields For Kids program has granted more than $5 million to improve nearly 825 ballfields across Twins Territory.
“The Twins Community Fund is committed to making sure kids across Twins Territory have the support, equipment, and safe places to play the games they love. We’re proud to provide grants that help communities empower young people and foster belonging through these games,” said Kristin Rortvedt, executive director of the Twins Community Fund.
For more information about Minnesota Twins Community Fund grants and programs, visit twinscommunityfund.org.
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