The Ewing Township Little League has been awarded a $109,897 grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund for the construction of field lights at Fasolino Field.
The first game under the lights will be played on Saturday, April 22 at 7 p.m. This will be preceded by a Hit, Pitch and Run Competition sponsored by Major League Baseball at 3 p.m. and a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. A rain date is set for April 23.
The field lighting equipment will be provided at a significant discount through a partnership between BTF and Musco Lighting, according to a press release issued by the Ewing Township Little League.
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) is a joint initiative between the Major League Baseball Players Association and Major League Baseball to promote the growth of youth baseball and softball throughout the world. It awards grants to support things like field renovation and construction projects, equipment and uniform purchases, and coaches training material.
Since its formation by the MLBPA and MLB in 1999, BTF has awarded more than 900 grants totaling over $30 million to nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations across the world.
The Ewing Township Little League, which owns and maintains the Fasolino Field complex, last year completed the renovation of the youth field playing surface using donated materials and volunteer labor.
The BTF grant will provide funding for the installation of Musco Lighting equipment to replace inoperable lighting to increase field availability and facilitate participation growth in the program, said the Little League press release.
“On behalf of Ewing Little League, we would like to thank Cathy Bradley (executive director of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund), Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund and Musco lighting for believing in our dream and supporting our project,” said Jennifer Barrett, Ewing Little League board member.
Other major supporters of the project include Richard T. Barrett Paving Co. and The Burns Landscape Group. The Ewing Little League is still accepting in-kind and monetary contributions. Those interested in donating to the project can contact Barrett at (609) 218-9778.
Ryan Barrett, Casey Burns, Bob Bergner and Jon Noble were volunteers who helped complete renovations to Fasolinio Field last year.,
