Forest Sports Park Project receives funding support through Jays Care Foundation

Announced Friday, May 7 on Sportsnet’s Blue Jays Central, the Forest Minor Baseball Association is one of 14 organizations to receive a grant through the Jays Care Foundation’s 2021 Field of Dreams program.

The Municipality of Lambton Shores was a co-applicant on the application, which received a $54,800 grant towards the Forest Sports Park Project. The grant will support the cost of two covered accessible dugouts and fencing on the Rick Goodhand Memorial Baseball Diamond.

“It was very exciting to see our organization included among the list of recipients announced on Sportsnet,” said Kevin Goodhand, President of the Forest Minor Baseball Association. “This has been a challenging year for so many of us, especially the youth in our community, and this announcement gives our community and our players something to look forward to.”

Fourteen organizations across Canada are set to receive funding through the Field of Dreams program this year, with more than $1-million being invested in community baseball infrastructure to benefit Canadian children and youth. Forest is one of eight Ontario communities to be awarded funding.

“After a very tough year for youth sports in our community, we were eager to team up with the Forest Minor Baseball Association to put together a strong funding application,” said Lambton Shores Mayor Bill Weber. “This news is extremely exciting for the Forest community as we all hope for the safe return of organized youth sports.”

Jays Care has invested more than $15 million in safe spaces across all ten provinces and two territories in the last ten years. The Field Of Dreams program is helped to be made possible by their largest funding partner Rogers Communications, which has provided more than $10 million to support Jays Care Foundation programs over the last decade.

“After a remarkably difficult year, we hope that today’s announcement will provide something for families in these communities to celebrate and look forward to. We are pleased to help organizations across the country build exciting, new spaces for children and youth to reconnect once it is safe to do so,” said Robert Witchel, Executive Director, Jays Care Foundation. “With this year’s recipients spanning from the Maritimes to Alberta, we are excited to continue a legacy of investing in infrastructure to support children and youth across Canada."

More information about the Jays Care Field of Dreams program.