Scotts and MLB reveal grant recipients of the 2023 Scotts® Field Refurbishment Program
“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and it could be again.”
Terence Mann’s words–and so many other quotes–from the movie “Field of Dreams” encapsulate the significance of baseball to kids and adults of all ages. A ball, a bat, an unlimited imagination. The game holds a special place for so many.
Nature had other ideas about baseball, when it comes to Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The town was forced to cancel the 2023 Little League season, due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian. But Scotts and MLB chose to focus on what could be good again, selecting Bay Oaks Little League Field as one of the grant recipients in the Scotts Field Refurbishment Program. Before long, children in the Bay Oaks League will once again be playing the great game of baseball.
In addition to Fort Myers Beach, Oak Hill Recreation League in Oak Hill, Ohio, and Wellpinit Boys & Girls Club in Wellpinit, Washington, were selected as 2023 grant recipients.
“The Scotts® Field Refurbishment Program helps communities in need to create a safe and welcoming space for young baseball and softball players to develop their skills, foster their love for the game and most importantly, encourage them to play outside,” said Ashley Bachmann, Vice President, Lawns Marketing, ScottsMiracle-Gro. “Scotts is proud to continue creating green spaces that have a positive impact on young athletes, their families and the generations to come.”
In its eighth year, the Scotts Field Refurbishment Program received over 600 grant applications from organizations in 47 states. Once this year’s projects are completed, the program will have renovated 38 fields in 20 states, investing more than $2 million into the renovation of community fields.
Here’s some news coverage highlighting this year’s recipients:
- Beach Talk Radio News (UMV: N/A), Bay Oaks Receives $50K Grant To Refurbish Field
- DealTown (UMV: N/A), News Alert: Hurricane Ian: Fort Myers Beach Wins $50K Grant To Rebuild Wrecked Bay Oaks Little League Fields
- Fox 4 News (UMV: 306.7K), Bay Oaks Little League Field selected for Scotts Field Refurbishment Program
- KXLY (UMV: 569.9K), Wellpinit Boys and Girls Club gifted $50,000 through MLB program
- News Break (UMV: 8.9M), Fort Myers Beach Art Association to rebuild after Hurricane Ian
- News-Press (UMV: 677K), Fort Myers Beach wins $50K grant to rebuild wrecked Little League fields from Hurricane Ian
- Spot On Florida (UMV: 18K), Bay Oaks Little League Field selected for Scotts Field Refurbishment Program
- WINK News (UMV: 1.2M), Fort Myers Beach baseball field set to get renovations after $50k grant
Stay tuned for highlights of all three fields as the refurbishment process takes place this summer. In the meantime, who wants to have a catch?
Read the full press release here.
