Submitted Photo Pictured, from left, are: Gary Haase, Dunkirk Little League president; Kory Ahlstrom, Chadwick Bay Softball; and Edwin Gomez, Dunkirk High School football head coach, along with members of the Dunkirk football team. Ahlstrom presented Haase and Gomez with donations to purchase an AED and first-aid equipment.

The summer of 2025 saw the fourth annual Chadwick Bay Softball Bash visit the northern Chautauqua County Area.

This event has grown into the largest single weekend softball tournament in Western New York, with over 80 teams and in excess of 1000 girls participating from four states and Canada. The event included over 175 games played on 15 fields, including Dunkirk, Fredonia and Brocton Little Leagues; Dunkirk, Brocton and Silver Creek high schools; City of Dunkirk, Village of Fredonia and SUNY Fredonia fields.

Staking the events serve as a truly regional economic engine.

Recently a ceremony was conducted at the Dunkirk Little League Complex where Kory Ahlstrom of the Chadwick Bay Softball Program made donations to two local sports programs, a result of successful fundraising during the Chadwick Bay Beach Bash Softball Tournament. The first donation was to Dunkirk Little League of over $2,400 for the purchase of an AED and first-aid equipment for their facility. This money was raised through a donation campaign, donations from every umpire who worked during the tourney, individual private donations, and a donation from Chadwick Bay Softball. Dunkirk Little League provides the use of three fields, restrooms, and the use of their concession stand for the tourney and has been a key supporter of expanding access to boys and girls seeking to play baseball and softball beyond the Little League programming.

The second donation was to the Dunkirk High School Football program of $2,000. The DHS football players provide field maintenance during the tourney under the supervision of head coach Edwin Gomez and his staff.

The Chadwick Bay Softball program has donated back to the community over $12,000 from this event since its inception. The program was established by Ahlstrom in 2022 with one team in one age group. In 2026, it will field teams in four age groups and over 50 girls from nine area school districts participating. The tournament also began in 2022 with 16 teams in one age group conducted solely in Wright Park and has grown to six age groups and contests conducted from Silver Creek to Brocton. Planning is already underway for the 2026 tournament, which is scheduled for July 31 through Aug. 2 and seeks to expand into the south county and conduct games in Mayville bringing all the Chautauqua Lake region has to offer to visiting families as well.