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http://www.omniture.com --> Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend May 7, 2006 Booster club hits a home run with the community By JENNIFER STRANGE Mail Tribune BUTTE FALLS — Three years ago resident Darren Kinyon hit a home run with his idea to start a booster club. The Mac Field Boosters Inc. now supports four youth teams and is getting stronger every day. "I started a booster club because there wasn't anybody to take care of the field," said Kinyon of Mac Field, a sports venue that was created about 15 years ago when a homegrown group of sports lovers solicited townspeople for the funds to build a Little League field. The field is named after Floyd "Mac" Maclanahan, who led the fund drive. Having gone through a major makeover, the field's upkeep is now done by the booster club with the help of a contract with the city of Butte Falls. "We dump the trash at the city facility and use the city mower," Kinyon explained. To pay for the maintenance, the boosters sell yearly signs to sponsors. They also hope to capitalize on their status as a non-profit organization by asking local businesses to host fundraisers in their name. "It always comes down to money," Kinyon said. "Money and donations. This year, somebody wants to donate an electronic scoreboard." The diamond isn't the only thing given new life by the Mac Field Boosters. Once Upper Rogue Little League teams, the ball clubs are now part of the Cal Ripken system. "We had an agreement with Little League where we could still be part of the same league, but it's hard for our parents to get down to the games after work," said Kinyon, who was the league representative. "The Cal Ripken league gives more flexibility as in you can play other teams outside of the league and they let you play every single weekend." Supporters also felt that the Cal Ripken league's flexible base lengths allow for a better transition between Majors Boys and Babe Ruth programs. "Little League is 60-foot bases, which is a lot different from the 90-foot bases in Babe Ruth," said Kinyon. "Cal Ripken lets us choose a transition, which is great for the kids. So our Major Boys are at 70 feet." Having grown from 30 players to about 70, the Butte Falls youth sports program seems to be benefiting from its new support. "It's been a project for a lot of people and it's a hoot to get over there and watch the games," said Lila Maclanahan, widow of the field's namesake. "There are a lot of good people up here and they really work hard for the kids." To learn more about the Mac Field Boosters, meetings and game schedules, write to P.O. Box 408, Butte Falls, OR 97522 or browse www.upperroguesports.com . Jennifer Strange is a freelance writer living in Central Point. Reach her at [email protected]. Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy