The front rows erupt into cheers as a donation from the Jays Care Foundation is announced Sunday, April 14, 2019. (Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
A project that will bring the joy of playing baseball to disabled kids in the Quinte region for many years got a big boost from a big time baseball organization today (Sunday).
As a crowd of about 300 watched Blue Jays Central on TV screens at the Quinte Sports Centre it was announced that Belleville’s Field of Ability project would receive at least $150,000 from the Jays Care Foundation.
But Field of Ability committee Chair Lisa Chesher told the cheering crowd that there was more.
Lisa Chesher. (Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
The Jays Care Foundation donation brings the total raised for the barrier-free rubberized ball diamond to $730,000. The City of Belleville had put aside $400,000 in this year’s budget to ensure that the field will be built this year at Parkdale Veterans Park.
Because of today’s donation the city won’t have to invest all of the money set aside. Some of it will be used to bring the budget to around $850,000.
Chesher thanked her committee and the many other people and organizations for making the “dream come true” in less than three years time.
(Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
Last year, Belleville’s Field of Ability was granted $250,000 form Kraft Heinz Project Play.
The City of Belleville, Hastings County, and the City of Quinte West all donated signficant sums to the project.
About 60 disabled children now play in Quinte Challenger Baseball and they come from throughout the region.
The field will be constructed under the supervision of TaskForce Engineering.
The crowd got a lot bigger soon after this photo was taken. (Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
