聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A unique, multifaceted community came together in Langbank on Sunday, June 11th.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The event which drew that community together was a BBQ and Men's Fastball League Double-Header. It was held in order to honor Lyle Balogh; and assist Lyle and his family with the expenses they face, as Lyle does battle with esophageal cancer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In part, this was the Langbank community, gathered around a man and a family that have lived their entire lives in this area...and contributed a great deal to that community. Lyle helped to build the Ball Diamond in Langbank...a facility that he notes has been very important to people in the area.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 remember, I had my 92 Dodge parked right in Center Field. It was full of all the wire that we were putting up around the diamond. We didn't have as many machines to help us as we would have liked. There was a lot of that 'manual labor' thing going on. But, it was sure worth all of the effort...this place has meant a lot to Langbank. A ball diamond brings people together just like a hockey rink does. It's like they say in that old movie...'If you build it 鈥� they WILL come'.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Yet, many of the people that have come to Langbank's ball diamond聽 for this event do not call Langbank 'home'. A quick scan of the 200 names written in the registry showed that some of them had traveled to this event from as far away as Brandon, Regina, Spy Hill, Weyburn and Winnipeg. Clearly, this was a gathering of neighbors and friends (numbering well over 200 鈥� as not everyone who attended remembered to sign the registry) who had not become neighbors and friends solely because of where they lived.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In fact, it is a love of softball and a commitment to 'the game' that has served to create this community.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lyle has been an enthusiastic member of this community for much of his life...both as a player and and for the past 39 years as a Registered Umpire. Craig Savill, who has worked as an umpire with Lyle for many years, describes the impact that Lyle has had on this community.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淟yle has an incredible passion for ball, and for working as umpire. I have worked with him, and he goes out of his way to make sure the game is fair...and fun. Lyle also helped to organize clinics where young umpires could be trained and mentored. Through the mentoring program in Carlyle, (currently under the leadership of Bill Wyatt) about 20 young people aged 12 and older are trained to become umpires. Lyle was very involved in acting as a mentor for many of these young umpires. It is a big part of Lyle's legacy...his way of passing his knowledge and his love for this game on to young people.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When news of Lyle's diagnosis became known, Craig says that the community immediately began looking for some way to help Lyle and his family with this battle.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen we found out that Lyle was sick, I phoned up Randy (Rapitta) and Dave (Hill) and suggested that we could maybe organize something to raise some money and help them out. It started out as a BBQ...then it was suggested that maybe the Men's Fastball League might be willing to play a couple of games. It all just grew from there. We started getting calls. People were asking how they could help. I had no idea that we would end up with something like we have here today! And I have to say...all I did was make the suggestion. It was all of the hard work that everyone involved put into it, that made all of this happen!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To say that the individuals who worked to organize this event were surprised by the response would be an understatement. As Craig says:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 am absolutely staggered by what's happened. People have come here from miles away...just to see Lyle and to help out. We have been able to raise a substantial amount of money to help Lyle and his family just through the raffles and 50/50 alone! This is amazing and it might lead to something in the future. There have already been suggestions that this should become an annual event.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lyle's wife Sharon was profoundly grateful for the support that that they have received.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ou know...life gets busy. You go to work and come home...day after day. You get busy doing stuff with the kids. Then, something like this happens. That's when you realize just what kind of a community it is that you are a part of!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ultimately though...it is far more than geography or even a love of softball that created this community...and led to this overwhelming expression of affection and concern. As Lyle himself noted...the ties which bind THIS community are far more powerful.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淩ight from my birth...with my parents who chose to adopt me and raise me as their own...I have been given so much in my life. Look at all of this! This is amazing...it's overwhelming! I don't have enough ways to say 'Thank-you' for this. There have been many...many tears today. But they are ALL good tears...NO unhappy tears here! I am truly...TRULY BLESSED!!鈥�
