Alpharetta Youth Players, Community Donate More Than Old Baseball Equipment

Every year, the Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association donates old baseball equipment to youth baseball organizations in need. This year, the annual tradition took a different turn and served a much larger purpose.

Coach Allen Willoughby researched where to make this year’s donation. He focused on areas that had been hit by natural disasters over the past year. His research indicated that Ringgold, 90 minutes north of Alpharetta, had suffered the largest loss of life and property during the tornados that hit the town in April 2011.

Coach Willoughby contacted the Ringgold city manager and it became very clear the town needed much more than baseball equipment. The city was still reeling following the destruction of 272 homes and several deaths. The local middle school and high school were also both destroyed.

Upon learning of the destruction in Ringgold, the Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association decided to expand their annual equipment donation to clothing, household goods and other items that could help the residents of Ringgold during their time of need.

A group of players from the association coordinated and staffed the entire donation process – from manning the donation tent to loading the truck to sending thank you notes. This group included Jason Willoughby, Patrick Wolfe, Kevin Saxon, Brice Royes, Kristin Green and Andrew Flett.

The association responded with donations from more than 120 people which included:

• Several TV’s, small appliances, stereos and furniture
• A large amount of clothing, bedding, bicycles and toys
• Enough baseballs, bats, helmets and practice gear to equip a four-team league
• A pressure washer, two weed-eaters and other lawn equipment

Many of the association’s players made donations from their own toy boxes. The 8U Eagles baseball team emptied their piggy banks to pay for half the cost of a 14 foot U-Haul truck – and the volunteers filled it to the brim with 44 “construction size” bags of goods and supplies. The donations were delivered to the Ringgold community on Nov. 12.

“We really made a difference and everyone in Ringgold was very grateful”, said Coach Willoughby. “The devastation they have seen is unbelievable,” the Coach said.

About Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association

The Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association (AYBA), formerly the Youth Baseball Assocation until its at , is a recreation and travel league organization, serving the Alpharetta and Greater North Fulton County area. The league offers recreational programs for 5-18 year old age groups and travel teams for 9-14 year olds.

Story submitted by Todd Stratton, media relations director for Alpharetta Youth Baseball.