Becker Youth Baseball Going To Bat To Replace Destroyed Equipment Shed

(KNSI) – Becker’s youth baseball organization is swinging for the fences as it tries to rebuild an equipment shed following a July 4th arson incident.

A person lit off fireworks inside portable toilets at both Kolbinger Park and the Becker Athletic Complex, causing them to catch fire. In one instance, it spread to a nearby shed. Becker Youth Sports Association Board Member Joy Sherwood says the crime affects the city’s youngest players the most. “We store some items above the BAC complex right there, and then we have another shed up on top of the hill too. So, the complex here is the junior ball for tee ball and coach pitch. Everything for them was in there, and that was gone.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help raise funds for replacing the shed. It is at about 80% of its $6,500 goal. Sherwood and the board have also gotten advice from the St. Cloud Rox and other outside organizations about grants for the project.

The hope is to maximize funding, as the incident occurred at the worst possible time. Sherwood explains that the shed was full. “Because of all the rain, we ended up doing our Tee Ball Jamboree and Coach Pitch Skills Competition the first and second. So, the coaches handed in all their equipment on the second…so everything got put back into the shed.”

Sherwood says discussions are ongoing between her organization and the city regarding the location of a replacement building. The old one was located right next to the ball fields. There are options that are safer and away from people, but that would make it more difficult to get the gear to the diamond.

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