As announced at the Annual Awards Night in May, the field lighting at Deep Creek Reserve will be upgraded to game standard.  This project has just commenced in conjunction with Manningham Council and we are jointly aiming to complete the upgrade by the end of 2014.  If we meet this timetable it will mean that Deep Creek will be available for night games by Christmas this year.

Baseball Victoria has committed to schedule first grade club games at Deep Creek Reserve on completion of the upgrade.

The field lighting upgrade will benefit all members with the main benefits being:

• Expanding the hours of use of Deep Creek Reserve to cater for club growth
• Enabling scheduling of Senior Men’s and Women’s night games
• The re-scheduling of home day games to night time will enable lower grades to have increased access to Deep Creek
• Enabling scheduling of Junior games at night, including the newly structured Little League competition
• Better quality training under full game standard lighting

This Lighting Upgrade is a joint undertaking between the State Government of Victoria, Manningham Council and Doncaster Baseball Club.  It will be 50% funded by State Government, 25% Manningham Council and 25% by the club. 

To meet our 25% funding obligation it is imperative that we raise additional club funds.  To that end we will be running a number of specific fundraising activities with the full proceeds going towards our “Let there be Light” upgrade fund.  Specifically we will be:

• Issuing a box of fundraising chocolates to every Senior Summer player to be sold for $50.  The $50 levy will be added to 14/15 Senior fees with the proceeds of the sale of chocolates to be retained by the player;
• Arranging a number of social functions and fundraising activities under the “Let there be Light” theme;
• Inviting members, sponsors and supporters to contribute a fixed amount to the project and receive permanent recognition for their family or company in a special permanent “Let the be Light”

Any further suggestions for “Let there be Light” fundraising activities would be most welcome.

We will keep you updated on the “Let there be Light” project progresses in the coming months.