LUMBERTON, Texas — Lumberton Little League baseball parents are asking for the public's help to fix their fields and make them more kid friendly.
This includes fixing fences to filling potholes in the parking lot. They want the fields to be something the kids can be proud of.
While the to do list of damage is lengthy, the majority of the $100,000 the league is asking for will go to lights.
Watching your kid hit their first home run or steal a base is a priceless memory made on the fields, but since it's a nonprofit parents end up splitting the bill for repairs.
"This is something we've been trying to do for a long time as an organization. The barrier always seems to be one that's finances," said Josh Matthews, a parents and the president of Lumber Little League's board of directors.
Many Lumberton Little League board members watch their kids play on their current fields.
"I have three children that will be playing out here this spring. I have twin daughters that are 10 that'll be playing softball. And I have a son who is 12 that'll be playing baseball," said Steven Fowler, another parents and the softball coaching coordinator for the league's board of director.
"I've got two boys that play," Matthews said.
Darrynn Stephens' 11-year-old daughter plays softball. He volunteers nearly 40 hours a week to keep their fields of dreams going.
"I want her to be proud. You know coming here and playing the game that she loves now. That I loved," Stephens said.
Matthews says it takes a lot of hard work to upkeep the property.
"We've been on this mission for, for a while. To try to just revamp and upkeep the ball park as much as possible. And you know, we've come a really long way. But you know we're ready to take that next step. We got a lot of energy. I've got a new board this year," said Matthews.
Out of the eight baseball and softball fields only two have working scoreboards and five have lighting.
"A lot of times they're not working condition. It's a big cost for the league because these are outdated. I think we spend about $36,000 a year just for our lighting costs. But in order to upgrade, we have to go to metal poles. There's a big initiative cost there that we just don't have," said Fowler.
The rest of the money will go towards fixing fences, building up drainage, leveling fields and paving the driveway filled with potholes.
The nonprofit has setup a GoFundMe with a $100,000 goal.
"If we don't reach the goal for, for fundraising. You know this year we're gonna survive. Right that's gonna be the mode. However, that's kind of been the status quo for years past," Matthews said.
You can learn more about the revamp efforts tonight at the Lumberton Little League board meeting. It starts at 6:30 p.m. located at the 409 Events in Lumberton.
You can donate to the GoFundMe here.