VISTA —— Local donors big and small have pitched in more than $60,000 to help cover Little League World Series travel costs for families of the Rancho Buena Vista Majors All-Star team, league officials said Wednesday.
The team arrived in South Williamsport, Pa. for the Little League World Series this week, riding a wave of emotional and financial support. League officials said they exceeded a fund-raising goal of $52,000 the team had sought to defray travel costs for players' families, but said the exact amount of the donations had not been tallied.
Among the major contributors to the effort were the San Diego Padres, the city of Vista and Viejas Casino, which each donated $10,000 toward the team; as well as The San Diego Union-Tribune and Today's Local News, which each gave $5,000, the league president, John Tryon, said Wednesday. The team has also received a variety of donations from local businesses and private citizens, he added, though he would not single out any of the donors who had not made their contributions public.
"We have had several big donations, but almost all of them have been $50 here or $250 there," Tryon said. "We have exceeded our goal —— some is pledged money we don't have yet, some is hard money."
Little League International pays for the cost of travel and accommodations for team players and coaching staffs, but travel costs for the families of the 12 players are not covered.
When the league sought the community's help, it received an overwhelming response.
Tryon said Wednesday afternoon that any surplus funds collected would be used for field improvements, equipment, team uniforms or scholarships for those who cannot afford to play.
"There's no doubt that this will help the league, and set us up in a great position to make sure the league never has financial concerns down the road," Tryon said.
Another Little League team —— Vista American Little League —— also donated $1,000 to the Rancho Buena Vista team, despite having a difficult year, league officials said. The league's field has been closed since February due to state-ordered soil testing, and league representatives are struggling to find a new home for its games.
Marty Miller, Rancho Buena Vista's manager, said Wednesday from Williamsport that the players are enjoying the trip.
"It's been a long few days and things have been pretty quiet here, but once the games start, the excitement will really pick up," Miller said. "The stadiums are huge, minor league size. The kids are all wound up."
Contact staff writer Anne Riley-Katz at 631-6622 or ariley-katz@nctimes.com.
