Sugar Grove Park District takes part in contest
The Sugar Grove Park District recently held a local competition for the Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit and Run contest. It was the first time the park district participated in the national baseball skills competition in which youngsters showcase their talents in pitching, hitting and running.
Scores are determined by individual performances in each event.
The Sugar Grove winners were:
Ages 13 and 14: Jacob Razo was all-around champion, hit champion and run champion, and Stephen McCracken was pitch champion.
Ages 11 and 12: Shane Carmody was all-around champion and run champion, Steven Becker was pitch champion, and Gunnar Stanke was hit champion.
Ages 9 and 10: Ryan Poplawski was all-around champion, hit champion and tied with Jake Marczuk for pitch champion. Jacob Gomes was run champion.
Ages 7 and 8: Chase Stanke was all-around champion and tied with Nicholas Ortegel for pitch champion. Jackson Clark was hit champion, and Lucas Gomes was run champion.
"The kids enjoyed it, and we had a good turnout," said Karen Pritchard, superintendent of recreation for the Sugar Grove Park District. "We are planning on doing it every year. The dream is to compete at the All-Star Game."
The national finals will be held during All-Star game week. The 2008 All-Star game will be held July 15 at Yankee Stadium in New York.
Tree hugging village
The village of Sugar Grove has been named a Tree City USA community by the National Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to community forestry. This is the 14th year Sugar Grove has received this national honor.
Sugar Grove has demonstrated a commitment to open spaces and preservation through its local ordinances, development policies and tree planting programs.
This year, eight Swamp White Oak trees will be planted at the Well 10 and 11 Water Treatment Facility at 455 Arbor Ave.
In 2007, 16 trees were planted through the Parkway Tree Replacement Program, and an additional 179 trees were planted in new developments. The village coordinates the planting of parkway trees in new developments to reduce the risk of damage to newly planted trees.
The village also works with a certified arborist to perform inspections of parkway trees and is on the alert for signs of the Emerald Ash Borer infestation that has affected neighboring communities. Sugar Grove has drafted a readiness plan to combat the Emerald Ash Borer using a template from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. An infestation of the borer larvae is fatal to ash trees.
Golf outing
The Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce golf outing is June 27 at Bliss Creek Golf Course on Golf View Road off Route 56 in Sugar Grove.
Registration and lunch start at 11 a.m., and golf is at noon.
For details, call the chamber at (630) 466-7895.