Baseball players at the Riverside Meadows ball diamond in St. Jacobs can bring a few friends along to their games these days, thanks to a donation from the St. Jacobs Optimist Club.
The Optimists have been working together with the South Woolwich baseball organization, recently donating $2,500 to build a set of bleachers beside the field.
“Teams from out of town would come and bring their families and they were surprised that there was really nowhere for them to sit,” said Optimist member Carolyn Parks. “Even if you put down a lawn chair you have an obstructed view; there was a real need for these bleachers.”
The group donated money to install bases in that same diamond last year.
To raise money for the various projects they facilitate throughout the year, the Optimists run a number of fundraisers, including charity barbeques, a silent auction, a cash raffle and a lawn-aeration service. The latter is a two-day blitz where club members travel around to homes in the area and offer to aerate both front and back lawns of homes for a small fee.
“We especially like that event,” said club member Rob Perry. “It gives us a chance to go out and meet people and raise awareness of who we are.”
Over the two days, the team manages to improve the quality of around 110 lawns.
“Our goal is to incrementally upgrade places around town through our donations,” said Perry. “We want to make it a better place for our kids to play, and for generations to come.”
