The Gorham Youth Baseball and Softball Association (GYBSA) is currently working on a fundraising campaign to repair and upgrade many of the baseball fields around town. The lack of fields for the softball and little league teams to practice and play games has become an issue and these upgrades will make a tremendous difference for the program. According to Josh Brenner, President of GYBSA, the group needs approximately $50,000 to complete the projects. GYBSA has been working with the Recreation Department for the project and they are helping with permits as well as necessary equipment needed to complete it.
GYBSA has been fundraising for a few years and the group is putting in $20,000 toward the renovations. The fields that need work are the former White Rock School (now Perennial Place), Little Falls Recreation Area, and Shaw Park. “Covid has put a bit of a pause on our efforts to enhance our fields, however we are re-engaging in the efforts to make Gorham a proud place to play baseball” Brenner said.
Two fields in White Rock, owned by Jon Smith, are overgrown. According to Brenner, someone needs to be paid to come in and cut them back so they can be turned into regulation softball and little league fields; Smith is in support of the project. With regards to the Little Falls fields, it is an area the group uses regularly throughout their season. The fields are in need of two dugouts and Gorham Sand and Gravel has committed to donating a new scoreboard. Shaw Park requires temporary fencing and both Little Falls Recreation area and the Shaw field needs new fill.
GYBSA, in preparation for the fundraising campaign, has approached various businesses in town for support of the program; they are also setting up a donation site through Little League International and their new “Lift your League” campaign to help in directing the funds. There will be marketing blitzes through email and the group’s Facebook page.
The Gorham Recreation Department has some exciting things planned for the Little Falls Field, however, it is solely up to GYBSA to raise funds for the aforementioned projects. Brenner said they hope to raise the money by the end of the summer in order to complete all the projects.
“The dugout plans and scoreboard and fencing projects are already underway and we will be instituting them throughout the 2021 season” he said. The fields at White Rock will cost about $30,000 and the group is hoping to get to work on that project this summer after the fields are dry. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Josh Brenner at president at gybsa@gmail.com or you can donate directly here.