Ben Lypka
Abbotsford News
The Optimist Club of Mission is challenging locals to step up to the plate.
The second annual Kalifornia Kickball fundraiser returns to the Mission Leisure Centre fields on Saturday, and all ages are invited to try and boot the ball for fun and a good cause.
This year all proceeds raised from the game will go towards the construction of the brand new Mission skateboard park.
“The new park is so important for us as a community and our youth,” said Coun. Rhett Nicholson, who also works with the Optimist Club of Mission. “In the last five years, our skateboard park has really deteriorated. We lost a lot of skateboarders who went elsewhere, and we lost a good community where the older boarders would mentor the younger ones.”
Nicholson said local youth are passionate about the new park and have put together a team for the fundraiser.
He said he hopes to raise between $5,000 to $10,000 from the game. The format is similar to a baseball tournament, with teams playing several games in a round robin. Games are set to be five innings in length. Six full teams are already confirmed, but Nicholson said individuals are welcome to join up and will be placed on teams. He said fun is the name of the game for the event.
“The best part about it is that no one is really good at kickball,” he said. “No one has played it since they were a kid, so it’s really all about having fun. Anyone can play and you don’t really need any equipment; that’s the beauty of it.”
Those interested in playing can join up for $35 as an individual or $350 as a team. Nicholson said teams and individuals are being encouraged to raise $500, and all that do get a plaque with their name on it that will hang at the entrance of the skatepark when it’s completed.
The game kicks off at 10 a.m. For information contact info@optimist4kids.com.
