Chartiers-Houston Youth Softball League fields destroyed in flooding

HOUSTON BOROUGH, Pa. — Thursday night’s heavy rain was devastating to so many in the Houston area. Many people were bracing themselves, including the Chartiers-Houston Youth Softball team whose fields were destroyed in back-to-back storms.

James Hollenbach is the President of the Chartiers-Houston Youth Softball League. This year, the popular program has 60 girls enrolled from age 4 to 15.

“They’ve been putting in the work and now it’s game time and no fields,” Hollenbach said.

Hollenbach says the Houston Fields, where the Lady Bucs play home games were first flooded last week after storms swept through. The organization jumped into action with 40 volunteers pitching in some 30 hours of work to get the field back to normal. Things were looking great, until Thursday night - when storms pummeled the newly rehabbed fields.

“Very helpless and it’s gut-wrenching and heartbreaking. You spend all this time and all this money down here and in minutes it’s all washed away,” Hollenbach said.

Hollenbach says when he went to assess the damage Thursday night he was shocked.

“When I saw it I just couldn’t believe what I was looking at. It was so much worse than I expected,” Hollenbach said.

Water that reached over five destroyed the fields, fences, concession stand and equipment needed to start the season.

“We’re a nonprofit organization. There’s only so much money and by the looks of it it’s going to cost way more than what we have to get the softball fields ready for these girls and for their season to start this week,” Hollenbach added.

Hollenbach says it’s going to cost thousands of dollars to get the Bishop Road Fields up to par. A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money. In the meantime, he’s hoping the community will once again step up to get these coveted fields back in working order.

“They can donate their time, their labor and materials. Fencing companies if they can help out it’s time and material is what we need,” Hollenbach pleaded.

Officials from Houston Borough were there Friday assessing the damage

We’re also told Pittsburgh Pirates Charities have reached out to see how they can help.

If you would like to donate to help the team, click here.

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