Church League takes over fairgrounds softball complex
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Since then, the Warren County Church Softball League has stepped up to the plate and will assume management duties.
According to Church League director Terry Beard, the league has been utilizing the fields for some time, and taking over the complex is a logical move.
“We’ve run the Church League for several years,” Beard said. “We just rented the fields from the Jaycees. So now it’s going to be where we’ll still run and maintain the Church League, and manage the complex as well.”
In a letter to the editor published in the Southern Standard, Jaycee president Calisha Craven pointed to a reduction in funding and lack of manpower as the main reasons for the Jaycees’ decision.
“We’re really excited about the Church League taking it over,” Craven said. “I know they’ll do a good job.”
Craven said the Church League would be able to better concentrate its funds and manpower since it would only be handling the league and the complex.
“We probably have over 30 projects during the year to take care of,” Craven said. “It’s just better for us to hand it over to somebody that all they have to worry about is just the ball field.”
Though the Jaycees received some money from the county, the Church League will be working out its own funding through a variety of methods, according to Beard.
“We’re trying to get donations,” Beard said. “That’s what we’ve been working on the last few days, trying to raise money because the county is not going to fund us. We’re trying to do all our funding on our own.”
Beard said the county indicated early on it wanted the complex to become self-sufficient.
“That’s what we’re going to try to do,” he said, noting that concessions and rental charges for the fields would provide some funds. Beard said there are three fields available on week nights, and practice sessions will run two hours from 6 to 8 p.m. and a second session from 8 to 10 p.m., with the charge being $15 per session. Fields will be available until league season begins, which is tentatively set for May 10.
“The Church League will continue to pay rent on the fields,” Beard said, “which will go into the fund to maintain the fields, just like we have done for years with the Jaycees. We’ll also rent it out for other people to have tournaments over there on the weekends.”
In addition, Beard said parking cars during the fair would provide some funds and that the group also planned to sell sign space to local businesses.