Officials Call for Volunteers, Donations for 'Field of Dreams'

Mayor David Mayer hopes to enlist township residents and businesses to help make one of Council President Glen Bianchini's dreams come true.

The dream?

For Gloucester Township Community Park to become Camden County's lone home of a baseball field specifically designed for mentally and physically disabled children.

On Monday, Mayer called on residents to get involved with the project.

"We are going to make this a community event where we will reach out to the community—ask folks to make, not just monetary donations, but I think what is equally important would be donations of labor (and) donations of supplies and material that can make this a reality," he said.

The mayor noted Gloucester Township Rotary Club has already taken on the so-called "Field of Dreams" as a 2012 service project. He expects other service clubs will also get on board.

The ball field Bianchini envisions for the township would be modeled after , which opened for play in 2004 and now serves as home ball field for 220 mentally and physically challenged South Jersey children.

"As we always try to do, we try to reach out to all aspects of the township—we try to address all of their needs—and I appreciate everyone's help," the Council president said.

Mayer, Councilwoman Michelle Gentek and local Rotarian Kevin MacGahey visited the Absecon field last year.

"It is a remarkable process," Mayer said . "It's really a heart-warming experience to see those kids who may not have the ability to play sports to go out and play on a field that is specifically designed for children with disabilities."

Among other upgrades from the typical youth baseball field, the "Field of Dreams" would include an artificial-surface infield to make it easier for those in wheelchairs and walkers to play the game.

Bianchini first publicly mentioned the baseball field last July when a resident asked Council for a status update on the proposed amphitheater for Gloucester Township Community Park.

That same resident—Timber Birch's Joanne Carr—asked about the future of the amphitheater again Monday night.

"We're moving forward with the 'Field of Dreams,'" she said. "Do we have any intentions of moving forward with the amphitheater, which is for all of the residents, not just a small population?"

Bianchini responded that officials have kept the amphitheater project on the "drawing board," but he could not provide a time frame on when the project may get underway.

"I think we're just trying to go one step at a time. ... I very much support having an amphitheater out there. It was part of the original program," he said.