The mayor and 150 fans watched their 1st little league baseball game here this month.

40 players participated at the Toledo District soccer field in Jacintoville. Bases, tents for dugouts, a make shift backstop dotted the field with folding chairs for fans.

Why is this news worthy to you in Lexington County?

Many people from our county made possible this, the first little league game in Belize history.

Most of the baseball gear that outfitted the 3 teams was donated by Lexington County baseball fans.

My wife Sybil E. Jarrells and I live in West Columbia. We have been collecting used baseball equipment and sending it to the Toledo Faith Outreach Christian Center that organized the program. Belize is the only country in Central America that does not have an organized baseball program.

Pastor Victor Hernandez had wanted to start little league baseball and mentioned it to Sybil over a year ago.

Sybil’s son played little league, pony league, high school and college ball on a scholarship.

“I know what playing baseball can mean to a young person,” she told Hernandez. “I know what it did for my son.

That started Sybil’s quest for equipment.

Lexington County fans, lead by the Lexington Blowfish baseball, the Lexington County Chronicle and West Metro Rotary Club, provided more than 300 pieces of baseball equipment to outfit the teams for the May 11 games and 2 others.

These teams represent district schools and churches. 3 other schools plan to join the league and are awaiting the next shipment of baseball gear.

That posed a problem for Sybil. She hadn’t planned on raising any more equipment, but she has already started.

She is asking Lexington County fans to check their homes for no longer needed baseball equipment.

The smiles on these kids faces makes the effort worth it.