June 12, 2020
OXFORD, MASSACHUSETTS — bankHometown recently donated $10,000 to the Sutton Youth Baseball League (SYBL) to assist the organization in adding a third field to its complex on Hough Road. With the recent merger of bankHometown and Millbury Savings Bank, this brings the combined banks’ total contributions to SYBL to $16,000.
SYBL President Chad Garand and Treasurer Corey Litchfield said that the field will be used for the league’s Farm division, targeting players age 7 to 9 whose abilities are beyond Tee Ball but who do not yet possess the skills necessary to join the Minor division. Litchfield said the improvements will include extensive infield and outfield grounds work as well as installing fencing to bring the field up to the standards recommended by the Cal Ripken baseball program the SYBL follows.
“First and foremost, we want to make sure the game is safe for our young players as they work to build both their confidence and abilities,” Garand said. “This field will help make sure that learning is sustainable for years to come.”
“We’ve supported Sutton’s youth for the past 10 or 15 years and have dedicated time and effort to improving our complex and player participation,” Litchfield said. “Through a dedicated board and great group of coaches, our small town has been able to create a first-class facility for our children to play on with the support of bankHometown.”
Previous contributions by Millbury Savings had allowed SYBL to make significant improvements to its existing Hough Road upper and lower fields, including redoing the turf on the major/minor league field, adding a scorer’s and announcer’s box at each field, purchasing new batting cages, and repairing the irrigation system that hadn’t functioned in a decade.
“Youth sports are such an important part of growing up, but we know that funds can be scarce,” said Robert J. Morton, bankHometown’s president and chief executive officer. “We’re happy to continue supporting Sutton Youth Baseball and to helping make a safe and enjoyable environment for our kids.”
