Journal Editorial: ‘It’s all about community’

From the very beginning, Chris Brown and Stuart Peschel – both movers and shakers for the Brandon Valley Baseball Association – have championed the phrase, “It’s all about community.”

It’s the mantra they touted over eight years ago as they, and other BVBA movers and shakers touted as they raised more than a million dollars to build our beautiful First National Bank Field stadium at Aspen Park.

Since that time, they’ve continued to add more bells and whistles to this community amenity, all for the love of kids and  kids who play baseball.

Starting today, the BVBA and the communities of Brandon and Valley Springs will host 12 straight days of state amateur baseball. 

And that’s where “it’s about community” once again comes into play. The BVBA needs volunteers – and lots of them. They’re asking for a minimal investment of three hours of time to assist in the parking lot, man the gates, sell beer, concessions, cook burgers and dogs, sell raffles, clean up and more.

The BVBA has already done the “heavy lifting” by  bringing what South Dakota coins as the premier baseball tournament of the state. And if you think that was an easy feat, well, selling the Commission on taking the tournament out of Mitchell, where it’s been held 85 of the 93 years it’s been played, is a huge lift.

Applause. Applause.

It was literally years ago that the BVBA put a plan on paper, then presented that plan to the South Dakota State Amateur Baseball Commission.

Since the day they learned they’d received the bid to host the 2025 state amateur baseball tourney, not a day has gone by that it hasn’t been on top of mind.

Volunteers can sign up online on the BVBA website, brandonvalleybaseball.com. There’s a plethora of oppotunties to volunteer, so while you’re there, pick a slot or two or three. 

It is also our hope that the local business community will put out the “welcome” rug when visitors to our corner of the world are here. This is the time for all of us to be the “community Welcome Wagon.” As they say, first impressions says so much.

So, Brandon and Valley Springs, let’s put our best foot forward over the next 12 days. Let’s leave our visitors with such a good taste in their mouths that they’ll be eager to come back again and again.

If Mitchell can do that for 85 years, Brandon and Valley Springs can sure do it bigger and better than ever.