By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
Below the new scoreboard are representatives of the organizations that helped made the improvements happen, (The Geneseo Foundation and the Francis G. & Betty J. Miller Foundation) including from left, Mark Breeden, Brett Lohman, John DuBois, Tyler Mackey, Rob Galloway, Manny Rivera, Jesse Dobbels, Bob Petit, James Mickley, Andy Thurman and Kane Causemaker. (Photo By Claudia Loucks)
Recent improvements have been made to the baseball and softball complexes on South Chicago St. in Geneseo.
According to James Mickley, president of Geneseo Youth Baseball & Softball (GYBS), there has been $350,000 worth of capital improvements to the complexes…”The Geneseo Foundation and Francis G . & Betty J. Miller Foundation supported the projects financially and GYBS gathered the support of local businessmen and volunteers to make these capital improvements a reality.”
The amount of the grant from the Geneseo Foundation was $100,000 and another $100,000 came from the Francis G. & Betty J. Miller Foundation.
JFE building made possible with grants are, from left, Rob Galloway, John DuBois, Tyler Mackey, Mark Breeden, Jesse Dobbels, James Mickley, Manny Rivera, Kane Causemaker and Bob Pettit. (Photo By Claudia Loucks)
The new building at JFE was finished in the spring of 2024, and will serve as a storage and team facility. It also offers new bathrooms as the old bathrooms were taken down at Bollen Field. Bob Pettit led the building project, which was supported by many volunteers.
Funds from the grants also were used to update the batting cages at the complex, and update team equipment for the youth baseball and softball teams.
Bollen Field building improvements made possible through grants, are from left, Kane Causemaker, Bob Pettit, Andy Thurman, Manny Rivera, James Mickley, Brett Lohman, John Dubois, Rob Galloway, Jesse Dobbels and Tyler Mackey.
Mickley said the final phase of the project will be the new backstop fencing at the large diamond on Bollen Field, which is scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2024….”The capital improvements will benefit the 600+ players and their families who participate in baseball and softball programs each year.