Little League coin drop, clean-up Saturday

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By Krystle S. Morey

Members of the Granville Little League will take to the streets this weekend to raise money for the sports organization.
Players, coaches and parents will go door-to-door in the village Saturday, collecting donations. Others will be positioned at various drop sites on Main and Quaker streets, and at the intersection of Church Street and Potter Avenue.
“It’s a good fundraiser for Little League,” said Denise Davies, a member of the Little League board. “It gets the kids out in the community in their uniforms.”
Money raised during the annual coin drop, which begins at 9 a.m., will go toward purchasing uniforms, equipment, maintenance and general operating expenses. The coin drop usually lasts until 1 p.m.
“We had a good turnout last year and we’re hoping for another good turnout this year,” Davies said.
The coin drop is a good fundraiser for the Little League each year.
“It’s good to have the coin drop,” Davies said. “It has been a part of Granville for a long time.”
After the coin drop, players, parents and community members will head to the Little League field to help rake the diamonds, position the bases, mow the fields and clean dugouts before the start of the season.
“It’s one more big push to finish it up,” Davies said.
“They’ve never looked this good this early – it’s great,” she said of the fields. “When we have teams come from other towns, we want to put our best foot forward.”
Davies said each player pays a $30 registration fee, but that’s not enough to cover most expenses. The coin drop helps pay for additional costs including park maintenance.
Teams from tee ball to Little League are made up of boys and girls age 4 to 13+. This is the third year the Granville Little League has been a travel league, playing with kids from other districts including Whitehall, Hartford, Fort Ann and Argyle.
Davies said the Granville Little League program is in an upswing.
“Numbers are way up,” she said of the participation this season.
Kids looking to play this year should bring their birth certificates and registration payment to Davies at the Granville village office on Quaker Street.
Next weekend, on May 7, the Little League season will officially begin with a parade and ceremony. Players will walk from the park on North Street, down Main Street to the Little League field off Glen Street.
Teams will be joined by local police, EMS and fire departments, and the Granville High School Band.
“We were rained out last year, so we’re hoping for good weather this year,” Davies said.
“There’s usually a pretty good turnout,” she added.
Participants should line up by 12:30 p.m. The parade begins at 1 p.m.
Once back at the field, there will be an opening ceremony and exhibition game play. And new this year, the Little League has teamed up with the Granville Masons to have a chicken barbecue after the parade.
“It’s a good community organization and we are here to help support it,” said Michael Angiolillo, Granville mason. The Masons have supported a team for the last 40 years, Angiolillo said.
The barbecue – which includes half of a chicken, a baked potato, beans, coleslaw, rolls and a brownie dessert for $10 – starts at 1:30 p.m. The mason’s table will be set up near the concession stand in the park.
Proceeds from the barbecue will be donated to the Granville Little League.