Local businesses invest in town’s youngest citizens

Community rallies for significant field upgrades at Veterans Park

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 28, 2023

Black Mountain-based business Godfrey Grading works on the baseball and softball fields at Veterans Park on March 25 and 26. Photo by Fred McCormick

It’s not unusual to witness a flurry of activity on the baseball and softball fields in Veterans Park, the largest recreation facility owned by the Town of Black Mountain, but there was something much different about the action on March 25 and 26, when a team of local businesses unloaded heavy equipment and went to work.

By the time four area businesses — Godfrey Grading, Blue Mountain Landworks, Gilliam Timber and Land and CB Land Management — were finished, the Swannanoa Valley’s youngest athletes had a brand new playing surface for the upcoming Charles D. Owen Babe Ruth League season.

Grading of four baseball and softball fields at Veterans Park was completed, March 25 and 26, after four local businesses volunteered their services to complete the work. Photo by Fred McCormick

The community initiative was coordinated by the league, after Godfrey Grading offered to do the work for no charge, according to Owen Babe Ruth Vice President Corey Hudgins. Several other local businesses soon volunteered to support the project.

“The fields needed to be refreshed because there were some drainage issues, so they were holding water,” he said. “We had to bring them up a little because the dirt had been washed away over time, which created a lip where they infield meets the outfield. That caused the ball to fly up into the air when it rolled through the infield.”

The league received permission and a load of dirt from the town before scheduling the work, which was completed over two days. Lunch was provided by My Father’s Pizza.

“It really was a community effort,” Hudgins said. “We’re super grateful to Godfrey Grading and the rest of the businesses involved, and we’re thankful the town allowed us to pull this together.”

Owen Babe Ruth, which will open its spring season on Friday, April 14 and Saturday, April 15, will feature 25 teams with around 320 children from the Swannanoa Valley, according to Hudgins.

“These kids work hard in practice and games, and they deserve to have nice fields,” the vice president said. “We have multiple organizations coming into town for games and tournaments this season, so it’s nice to show other communities that Black Mountain has a good program going.”

Volunteers supporting the efforts of Charles D. Owen Babe Ruth League assist a team of local businesses at Veterans Park. Photo by Fred McCormick

Approximately 70 volunteer coaches, board members and others are preparing for the upcoming seasons, according to Hudgins, who believes youth sports offer valuable life lessons for participants.

“I coach both of my sons and it’s important for them to learn how to deal with failure, because they’ll have that on the field and in life, so they need to learn how to deal with that at a young age,” he said. “It’s also important they learn the value of working as part of team, because you can’t do everything by yourself. Sports help them see that hard work pays off, and that sets them up for the next steps in life.”