PALS in BELIZE

For many of us in the United States who grew up playing sports--or have children who now play sports--it is hard to imagine a childhood without baseball or softball. However, for many kids in the Central American country of Belize, they have never had the opportunity to play. There is currently no Little League in Belize (though there are some beginning efforts to reestablish it) and baseball has not been played in the country in any organized way since 1993. As a result, many children never step foot in the batter’s box, despite that baseball is well loved by many in Belize. In fact, Belizeans are often die hard Cubs fans because one of the only channels they received through the 1990s was WGN out of Chicago, which created a deep love of the MLB team.
 
Softball is more widespread for both boys and girls; however, limited resources, exposure, and access to equipment and facilities means that basketball and soccer is more common. In Belize City, organizations such as the Belize City Softball Association--which last year offered its first coed recreational league for adults--dream of engaging more young people in softball or baseball, particularly as they are based on the Southside of the city where limited opportunities and poverty affect the lives of the children who reside there.
 
Last year, we learned that the Association did not have any equipment available to facilitate youth softball clinics, and that needed items can be difficult to access--particularly with minimal resources--in the small country. The volume--and prohibitive expense--of equipment required to play as compared to other sports compounds these challenges. The need for equipment is particularly acute in Belize City, but is also felt throughout the country.

As a result, in July 2019 we facilitated our first ever softball service trip to Belize to support the Belize City Softball Association's efforts to expand access to softball and baseball for so many young people. Through our amazing supporters, we raised more than $20,000 and received numerous equipment donations to make this initiative possible and, on July 14, a team of 19 of us headed down to Belize with more than 30 bags containing over 1,200 pounds of equipment to be used for clinics and to be distributed to primary schools to restart--or start--their softball and baseball programs. While in country, we worked with the Association to facilitate clinics for more than 100 young people in both Belize City and Cayo District, and we also visited and distributed equipment to the Belize City Princess Royal Youth Hostel Detention Center. To date, ten primary schools have received equipment donations as a result of our contributions through an equipment grant program set up by the Association.

This year, we will again be donating equipment and facilitating clinics, with a special emphasis on community clinics and equipment donations for young people who don't have the resources to travel to the stadium or who may not currently be enrolled in school. These young people are among the most vulnerable in the country, with very limited opportunities. These clinics will be made possible in coordination with the Association as well as six local community sports clubs that are dedicated to keep young people from engaging in gang-related activity in the Southside of Belize. Through our donations, the Association will expand their equipment grant program to support these community-based organizations. We will also be facilitating clinics at the Detention Center and at the Liberty Children's Home orphanage. The community clinics will take place in the morning, while in the afternoon we will facilitate clinics at the stadium as part of summer camp.

In addition to facilitating clinics, we will be playing other coed teams in Belize City. Last year, we played a total of five games which were a great cross-cultural opportunity to not only make new friendships but also to learn from one another and gain exposure to regional and cultural nuances in the game, showcase skills, and foster a friendly international rivalry. These international games also helped the Association to raise awareness of the sport. This year, we will once again put our skills to the test in tournament style play under the lights in historic Rogers Stadium.
 
We will also be donating equipment to the teams we play as they are forced to share items and, as with youth equipment, these items are difficult to access and expensive. Having more equipment available also eliminates barriers to play as people can participate who can’t afford the many pieces of gear required.
 
Finally, to broaden our impact we will also be volunteering with and/or making monetary and in-kind donations to other organizations in Belize City, Cayo, and Caye Caulker, particularly animal welfare related organizations including the Cayo Animal Welfare Society, Belize Raptor Center, the Belize Zoo, and the Caye Caulker Animal Shelter. As the homeless dog and cat population is a widespread issue in Belize (as it is in Philadelphia), we want to support organizations that provide much needed services such as low cost veterinary care and vaccines, spay and neuter services, and foster and adoption programs. We also want to support organizations focused on protecting, rehabilitating, and educating on local wildlife. Last year, we were able to donate more than $2,500 to these causes and look forward to supporting them again.