By Mike Hazlip—
The Citrus Heights Little League is desperate for help and looking to improve security after a fire damaged the scorekeeper’s box at McDonald Field.
The fire damaged the backstop and scorekeeper’s box and the league has set up a GoFundMe page to raise the funds needed for repairs and to install a fence around the field.
“Our community needs your help!” the league said in the description. “Recently the unhoused have taken a major toll on our field. They started a huge fire and burnt through our backstop and damaged home plate and the scorekeeper box.”
The league said in a Jan. 10 social media statement that they are working with Sunrise Park and Recreation to get the field ready for the next season in less than a month.
Vandals allegedly dumped trash, drug paraphernalia, and feces in the dugouts as well as cut the wiring to the scoreboard. Photographs posted by the league show bare wires coming from an electrical box and blackened benches and backstop.
“They over take this park and destroy anything they can,” the league said. “Our children should not have to be worried about these things when trying to play baseball with their friends. We need your help to raise money to repair and build a fence around this field for the kids!”
As of Jan. 11, $1,000 of the $25,000 has already been raised, according to the fundraising page.
Editor’s note: The Sentinel urges readers to use discernment in giving money to online fundraisers. Stories on The Sentinel may reference fundraiser pages as sources of information, but The Sentinel cannot assure that funds donated will be applied for the benefit of the person(s) named as beneficiaries.
