Altona Angels Softball Club hoping to invest $200,000 toward facility upgrades and player development

Altona Angels Softball club is on the verge of launching a fundraising campaign to seek financial support for their vision of growth.

Rachel Wahl, the club's coordinator, says they'll be reaching out to local businesses and community leaders with the goal of raising $200,000. 

"The things that we're focusing on are upgrading our playing fields to ensure safe and a professional environment; purchasing new equipment such as bats, balls, helmets and uniforms; providing financial assistance for families in need and ensuring all girls who can play, [do play]; and hosting tournaments which will bring communities together in Altona and in that way support our local businesses."

Back in April the club unveiled its plans for a large-scale diamond upgrade effort.
 

Changes would include more all-clay infields, installing roofs on dugouts, erecting bleachers to entice passers-by to stop and watch the great ball games that go on, and make it a facility that players can be proud to be a part of.

The proposed changes call for situating four diamonds closer together than they currently, making it less work to host tournaments said Wahl.

"That will make it easier on the volunteer base. I mean, volunteer bases are key to any nonprofit success. If we can make that a little bit easier by making it physically closer together, I think that's going to make a huge impact in how often we can host a tournament and how successful they can be."

Angels player Rylah Hildebrand is anticipating the changes.

"I've always played sports with the boys. Playing on our own separate diamonds that are just about as good as the boy’s diamonds in the park - I think it would be really cool. One of our teams has practice right after school at 4, which is really hard for kids who live out of town to make it on time. So having more facilities would make more time for practice slots and more time for home games."

Dayna Wahl, a former player and now coach, says some diamonds were improved this past year but more changes are needed.

"We made them full clay in fields, as many as we could. Not everyone realizes, but it really does make a difference to the players. Just the quality [surface] that they get to play on. That can only help them develop their skills too."

Potential donors need only look at the dedication of the club's volunteer coaches to realize the value for their dollars.

"Many of them are parent coaches and a good number of them are actually not, which is phenomenal," explains Rachel Wahl. "They are still that invested in the sport that they come back to coach players who aren't even their children. I want to say a huge thank you to those volunteer coaches."

Wahl says they're putting the finishing touches on the proposal to local business owners. 

"We'll present them with a package of options of how they can donate; tiers where you would get certain kinds of advertising with this tier, a different kind of advertising with that tier. Things like jersey sponsorship or having your logo on a banner that gets posted at games, things like that."

On June 15th, the club will also be launching an online 50/50 raffle said Wahl.

"We're going to be calling it the Dollars for Diamonds 50-50 raffle. I'm very excited about it because this is going to be something where we can reach out to people who have family far away or anyone who just wants to take part in the contest. It's gonna be fun!"

The club will be posting notices around town and on it's social media.

Wahl says the proposed upgrades could begin this summer, progressing as funds come in with the hope of completing the project in 2025.

The Angels will be hosting the club's it the first tournament in 12 years -  a U13 League Tournament - on Friday, June 21st and Saturday, June 22, with a rain date of June 23rd.

~With files from Candace Derksen~