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New, improved

Cassadaga field to receive concession stand

OBSERVER Photo by Gregory Bacon This Little League field will hopefully soon see a new addition — a new concessions building that will be able to withstand rain, wind and nature’s other whims.

CASSADAGA — The Cassadaga Reds Little League baseball team will have an exciting new addition to its baseball field — a concession stand.

The current food situation at the team’s games is a little poker table that falls victim to the sun, wind, rain and bugs, said Lori Grisanti at the most recent Cassadaga Village Board meeting.

Grisanti pitched the idea of a concessions building on the field — a 6 by 8 foot building, with a slanted roof, a door and two drop-down windows with chains that would turn into counters to hold condiments, napkins, utensils, etc.

The team approached a number of Amish families in the town of Stockton, which quoted the team $650 plus tax for the wooden building.

“I’m going to ask for donations from local businesses here and Stockton — some of the kids are from Stockton that are on our baseball teams, and then probably do a fundraiser,” said Grisanti. “A mom said to do a Go Fund Me page, or go down to Wal-Mart and see if they’ll let us collect donations in front of the store and see if parents will pitch in.”

Donations are also being accepted at Community Bank in Cassadaga, under the established account “Cassadaga Reds Little League.”

Mayor Mary Jo Bauer recommended not using a Go Fund Me page, as the website will take a portion of the donations.

“Sometimes just Facebook and a contact person is better, because what they want to give, they don’t have to lose the money,” said Bauer.

The building will be put by the back field (far enough to avoid any flying baseballs!), and the team is excited about all of the possibilities, especially considering that it is the only team in the league that doesn’t have a concessions stand, said Grisanti.

“We can store our grill in there at night, because right now it’s bicycle-chained to one of the dugouts,” said Grisanti. “We’ve had bird nests in there. We use it Monday through Thursday, and from Friday to Monday — we open the grill and there’s a bird’s nest in there. Amber Hilliker took it home, took it apart, (and) scrubbed it so we could cook on it.”

Grisanti’s father is willing to pick up the building from Stockton, and it would be a team effort to upkeep the building. It’d merely need a little bit of stain and seal, and the slanted metal roof would prevent weather-wear on the wooden exterior. The building will also be on skids, though that it could be moved, if need be.

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