Cancellation of youth rec program blamed on lack of volunteers
Earlier this month, the Nackawic-Millville Recreation and Parks Departments announced on social media that they had to cancel their baseball and T-ball programs for the summer, citing the lack of volunteers.
“We have put the call out for volunteers for three months now and unfortunately no one has stepped up,” said Paul Sherman, Director of Recreation and Parks.
“Volunteers are an issue everywhere, as many of the communities in the western valley face the same issues, and without volunteers, it’s hard to put on any programs,” he added.
Sherman said it’s hard because the same volunteers keep stepping up.
Mayor Tim Fox said it was a really unfortunate situation, especially for the kids, highlighting the difficulty of finding volunteers sometimes.
He said more people need to get out of their comfort zone and risk doing something a little different.
“We will continue to pursue other recreational activities on an ongoing basis. It is a big commitment to volunteer for these sorts of things. But for one who has done it for a long time, the rewards far outweigh the time commitment,” said Fox.
The municipality will continue to offer programs such as ball hockey, which has been very successful. They are planning other activities, and once they are organized, they will be posted on the town’s Facebook page. Other sports options exist, such as the Atlantic Argonauts Soccer Club, which is based in Nackawic. The Nackawic Golf and Country Club also offers a Junior Golf Summer Program.
The Recreation and Parks Department is still taking bookings for the ballfields this summer. If you are interested in booking an event or a pick-up game, please get in touch with Paul at recreation@nackawic-millville.com
