Scott volunteer group resurrects park

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

SCOTT – Scott residents are used to having to overcome the odds to get something done in their village, which sits astride the Van Wert-Paulding County Line.

That was the case recently when a group of villagers decided to resurrect the village’s softball association and form at least one team to allow the village’s youngsters to compete in an area softball league.

“We decided to get the community together,  get the excitement back in the kids and see something happen in the community,” said Heather Lacey, one of the organizers of the initiative.

The big challenge was getting Bresler Park, the ballfield and its aging concession stand back in shape so that any teams formed could have a place to practice and play their games.

“The park had not been used in close to 15 years,” Lacey said. “The ballfield was grown over and the concession stand taken over by rodents.”

Volunteers went to work, clearing brush and weeds from the ballfield, moving the rodents from their concession stand home and sprucing up the park in general. The efforts culminated in a recent “picnic in the park” fundraising event that brought in approximately $1,000 to help with park beautification efforts.

“We were very thankful for the support,” Lacey said, adding that additional fundraisers are planned for a major renovation of the park’s concession stand.

“It needs a lot of work,” Lacey said, adding that improving the concession stand would also help generate additional revenues that could be used to maintain the park itself.

Van Wert County Business Outreach Coordinator Sarah Smith and County Commissioners Thad Lichtensteiger and Todd Wolfrum visited the park during the picnic, and Smith said she was impressed with the efforts of the community in beautifying the park.

“What I love about this story is that it’s a community trying to do something,” Smith said of the project. “They decided they wanted their ballpark back and they are making it happen.

“I’m so excited to see our communities taking an active role in progress,” Smith continued. “Our communities want to grow, they are hungry for it and it only takes one person, or a handful of people, with vision to get something started and really energize everyone.”

Meanwhile,  Bresler Park volunteers are planning additional fundraising events throughout the fall and winter in preparation for a February 2014 decision by the Paulding County Ball Association on whether Scott can join the league — and ballgames return to the park.

Anyone wanting to make donations to the project can mail them to The Scott Ball Association, P.O. Box 82, Scott, OH 45886, while questions about the project can be directed to association members Lacey at 419.910.0561 or Chris Martinez at 520.227.6878.

Smith said she hopes the Scott efforts will energize other local communities into coming up with projects in their towns and villages.

“I hope what they are doing in Scott is contagious,” she added.