Tides to continue youth field renovation project

Published 10:34 pm Tuesday, July 24, 2018

The Norfolk Tides this week announced the return of The Youth Field Makeover Project presented by Orkin, a contest in which a local youth field will be renovated by Tides groundskeepers and front office staff.

This field makeover will include an upgrade to the playing surface, an improvement to existing dugouts and pest prevention services. The recipient of the makeover will be determined by a fan vote on the Tides Facebook page in August.

“Year in and year out, this is a special project that allows our staff to give back to very deserving members of the Hampton Roads community,” said Tides General Manager Joe Gregory. “Each time we help renovate a field, we’re just thrilled to be making a difference.”

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Those interested in having the Tides make over their facility should submit a picture of their field to John Rogerson at JRogerson@norfolktides.com. Along with the photo, fans are asked to include a brief synopsis of why their league’s field should receive this enhancement. The deadline to submit this information is Aug. 10, with online voting set to take place on the Tides Facebook page (Facebook.com/NorfolkTides) from Aug. 13-17.

Since the inaugural renovation in 2012, the Tides have renovated 11 local fields, including Bennett’s Creek Little League in Suffolk. Others have included Eason’s Crossroads (Gates, NC), Ocean View Little League (Norfolk), Smithfield Recreation Association (Smithfield), Phoebus Little League (Hampton), Shore Little League (Nassawadox), Cradock Little League (Portsmouth), Little Creek National (Norfolk), Gloucester Youth Baseball (Gloucester), Surry County Pony Baseball (Surry) and Deer Park Youth Field (Newport News). The Tides are also set to renovate Thalia/Malibu Rec Association in Virginia Beach this fall.

The project is made possible thanks to the Tides Youth Baseball Fund, a program established by the Tides in 1990 as a way to raise money for youth baseball and softball programs in Hampton Roads. In addition to assisting with field renovations, the Youth Baseball Fund also helps local teams and leagues with travel expenses. The Youth Baseball Fund is partially financed by scoreboard announcements at Harbor Park throughout the season, and those wishing to make a donation directly to the Youth Baseball Fund can do so via norfolktides.com under the “Harbor Park” section.

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