The creation of a new field and recreation area behind Dayton Consolidated School and the recent improvements to the Lyman Little League field at Cousens School are proof that volunteerism is alive and well in York County ”“ and it’s making a big difference, particularly in the lives of local children.

After a lengthy planning process, the Dayton fields project began last weekend, with an impressive list of volunteers and donors from within and outside of the town: Dayton Sand and Gravel, Scott Littlefield of Big Boy Trucking; Edward Littlefield of Littlefield & Hall Excavating; Mike Souliere, Souliere & Sons; Andrew Clark and Rand Clark, Clark Excavation; Jeff Sawyer, Sawyer & Sons; Paul Poirier, Dayton Snow Fighters; Janice Geaumont and Bill and Dixie Harris, all of Dayton Historical Society; Brian Dancause, Dancause Construction; Keith Harris, Pumpkin Valley Farm; Maurice St. Clair, St. Clair Excavating; Remi Beaulieu, Dayton Sand & Gravel; resident Mark Mooers; and Brian Pellerin of Dayton Little League.

The project at hand includes creating a baseball/softball field, a soccer field and an area designed for picnics, all just behind the school in an area that used to be scrubland. The soccer field is due to be ready for use as early as next fall, while the baseball/softball field will be available for use next season. It’s all being made possible by donations from the community, with the exception of a grant for grass seed and fertilizer from the University of New Hampshire.

These volunteers don’t make a big deal out of donating their time and resources to community projects such as this. For them, it’s just one aspect of what it means to be part of a community. It’s not the first time they’ve helped out, and it won’t be the last. The nearby Dayton Municipal Building is a lasting testament to that, having been constructed with donated labor, too.

It’s downright inspiring to see a community come together like this to create quality space for children to participate in sporting activities. And it’s not limited to Dayton. In neighboring Lyman, the Little League also got a lot of support for their recent improvements to Bernier Field at the site of the former Cousens School. The field had become unsafe, parents said, due to some trip hazards, and needed to be smoothed out and improved. Parents came together with local businesses to put down new sod and installed a sprinkler system ”“ and never had to pay a cent for labor. Many businesses, including Bill Single Irrigation Design Co., Foglio Inc. and Winding Brook Turf Farm, donated their time to work on the field, and the league had only to cover the cost of materials.

While these two field projects are high profile and will benefit a couple hundred youth, they’re just the tip of the iceberg of parent volunteerism in York County. Every day, moms and dads are doing all the behind-the-scenes work that makes youth activities possible: Leading Boy or Girl Scout troops, organizing school fundraisers, coaching youth teams, chaperoning field trips, organizing sports and band events, and chauffeuring for practices and performances of all kinds.

When local businesses come together to support these parents in their efforts to provide the best possible opportunities for each community’s children, it’s the epitome of community ”“ and it’s a bright spot in the news that we’re happy to be able to share with our readers.