united way youth venture team
WINCHENDON'S EXTREME MAKEOVER: field edition

Extreme Makeover: Field Edition was launched last summer as the town of Winchendon’s first UWYV team. The team was created to address Murdock Middle High School’s insufficient and unsafe baseball diamond.  Steven Haddad, Winchendon’s UWYV Champion, has said, “If it rained on a Monday, Thursday’s baseball game was cancelled”—and  he wasn’t joking!

The Venture team members, ranging in ages from 14-17, have logged countless hours installing five 120 ft. sections of drain pipe, digging footers, pouring concrete and getting ready to build their own dugouts.  “Students are extremely interested and enthusiastic about doing community service projects that will directly benefit … the entire school and community,” said Steven Haddad.

The team has involved the entire community in their Venture.  EnviroTech donated the use of a Ditch Witch for the first weekend.  EnviroTech’s Assistant Manager, Matt LaPointe, has donated over 50 hours of  planning and working on the project.  Dan Tenney, a Massachusetts Department of Corrections Officer  and a Varsity Softball Coach, has donated 30 hours assisting the Venture team with planning and working on the field.  He is also working with the team to plan and build the dugouts.  Jandris & Sons Concrete Block Company donated the block to build the dugouts. Sevigny Construction Company has donated rebar for structural support of the concrete slab for the dugouts.  Rob Matewski, a local brick layer, will work with the Venture team to build the dugouts. The Winchendon Public Schools have donated the use of one of their employees and a backhoe to help dig drainage trenches. The Town of Winchendon has also donated four truckloads of coarse sand. MWCC Head Groundskeeper, Jim Larabbee, has assisted in directing  the Venture team  in the correct methods of  leveling the field and planting the grass seed. Mr. Larabbee not only donated over 10 hours of his time but also the use of two tractors.

United Way Youth Venture  is currently being implemented in seven school districts in North Central Massachusetts:  Gardner, Fitchburg, Leominster, North Middlesex, Parker Charter Essential School, Shirley, and Winchendon.

For more information, contact: