They need you. 

That was a clear take-away at this month’s Bellefontaine Joint Recreation Board (BJRD) meeting on Tuesday, May 5. An aura of gratitude filtered through much of the short session as they recognized the people who volunteer their time, whether it’s working concessions or taking on projects to improve or repair area parks. 

Though April showers seem determined to hang on well into May, the parks department is heading into summer with a focus on the all-American sport. Not only are recreation baseball games underway with softball about to start, but Bellefontaine once again hosted the Midwest Baseball Tournament the first weekend of May. 

That tournament featured 66 teams participating in 128 games at 11 Bellefontaine ballfields. The department received $4,000 from Midwest Baseball Factory (MBF) and brought in more than $9,500 thanks to active concession stands. 

And that’s where the community stepped up. Thanks to numerous volunteers, most of the concession money went straight to the parks department. 

“There’s no better gift than giving your time,” Rick Reed, parks superintendent, stated after the board meeting. “We had a lot of folks that showed up for four- and five-hour shifts that help us out and allowed us to keep a bunch of the revenue from those concessions.” 

Some of that revenue was unexpected, as they sold a ton of hot chocolate and a little coffee to help warm people up in the chilly temps. Though the department charges $300 in rent per ballfield per day, it’s the concessions that bring in the most money. 

For Reed, one negative is the fact MBF charges for admission and parking. He even talked to the company about it but was told nixing those fees would be a deal-breaker. 

Another downside is having to close off that many parks to Bellefontaine residents, though MBF is supposed to allow walkers in. Last weekend, the tournament started Friday evening and went through Sunday. 

Board member Davey Roberts then pointed out these events do bring money to the community. Reed said he’d like to track how much revenue that is but, he said, “That’s one thing that’s hard to quantify.” 

Bellefontaine will host another baseball tournament the first weekend in June. If you want to volunteer, contact Reed at (937) 407-1039. 

In other news, the board discussed the continued work taking place at Harmon Park and thanked the Bellefontaine city council for the tax increment financing (TIF) that helped fund poured-in-place rubber surfacing and dugout covers. 

With early June as the goal for the work to be completed, plans are underway for a celebration. According to Reed, it will be “a true grand opening reflective of the history of Harmon Park.” 

Once it’s ready and they decide on a date, the community will be invited for a wiffle ball tournament, games, food and whatever else they plan. 

Speaking of planning, Reed admitted they’re still not set on what they want to do as part of America’s 250th anniversary, which Bellefontaine will commemorate with fireworks on Friday, July 3. The department would like to solidify the day’s activities leading up to that night’s display, but he’s hoping for ideas from the community. 

“It would be great to make the football field a play zone for kids,” Reed told the board. 

In another instance of people helping the department, Jeremy LeVan was recognized for the free work he did to repair the surface at Play at the Peak. “I can’t say enough positive things about how good he is to us,” Reed said. 

Also, the pickleball court surface needs repaired, but that will have to wait until it’s warm enough. 

The next BJRD meeting will take place at Harmon Park at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.