Make Wellston Beautiful, Inc.

The ODNR grant-funded improvements at the 327 Ballfields are moving forward. To continue the progress, we request all ball practices be held at Cecil Arthur Field and Blamer Field until further notice.

This is to allow construction crews to use heavy equipment in the parks without worries of citizens being in these areas.

Previously scheduled baseball and softball tournaments will take place at the 327 Complex as scheduled.

We also ask the public to be mindful when visiting the park to fish. Please do not drive or park vehicles in any area under construction. Thank you for your understanding.

Make Wellston Beautiful Welcomes Vision to Learn on Wednesday, June 1st, and Thursday, June 2nd! Mail registrations back to Make Wellston Beautiful at PO Box 306, Wellston, Ohio 45692 or return to your child’s Wellston school on or before Wednesday, May 25th.

An eye exam is recommended every year for school-age students. Has your student had theirs yet? If not, you’re in luck! The Vision to Learn Van is coming to Wellston on Wednesday, June 1st and Thursday June 2nd with FREE vision exams AND free glasses, if necessary, for all students in kindergarten through 12th grade!

Vision to Learn is a nonprofit organization that operates a traveling Vision Van with an eye doctor’s office on board. The van offers all preregistered students free vision exams and, if needed, an opportunity to order free glasses.

Thanks to the help of Vision to Learn, the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, the Ohio Optometric Foundation, and Wellston City Schools, Make Wellston Beautiful will be hosting the Vision to Learn Van in Wellston on Wednesday, June 1st and Thursday, June 2nd. The exact location is to be announced but will be easily accessible for those in the Wellston area.

Preregistration is required to participate. Forms are available at all Wellston-area schools or online at http://www.makewellstonbeautiful.org under the Vision to Learn post. Please submit forms back to school or mail to PO Box 306, Wellston, Ohio 45692 on or before Wednesday, May 25th.

Vision to Learn said it best: We think our students are pretty “spec”tacular, and we want to help them see themselves and the world around them that way too!

We are very excited to kick off another season of MWB Spring Sports this Saturday, April 30th. Everyone is invited to stop out to the Rt. 327 Ball Fields to celebrate our community’s young people.

A few reminders:

Opening day is this coming Saturday, April 30th! The parade lineup begins at 10:00 am at the old pants factory parking lot, across from The Depot. The parade begins at 10:30 am and will travel down Ohio Ave to Broadway. Down Broadway to 327 and ultimately ending at the ball fields!!

We are now accepting sponsorships for the 2022 season of MWB Parks & Rec Programs. We pride ourselves on providing a quality youth sports experience for all children of our community. Sponsorships are key to keeping registration costs low and ensuring all students have access to sports.

Please view the attached information below regarding our sponsorship possibilities. Thank you in advance for your support of our community and its youth.

2021 has been a busy year for Make Wellston Beautiful. Our volunteers worked to improve our community in many ways, as listed below:

• We held Spring Rec League Baseball, Softball, Soccer, and T-Ball and Fall Baseball, Softball, and Soccer for well over 400 players! We were fortunate to hold our programs with strong enrollment numbers despite COVID-19.
• We sponsored the Wellston Jr. High Baseball, Softball, and Soccer programs. Each team utilized our facilities and resources to support their seasons.
• OPENING DAY CAME BACK, complete with the first pitch, skydiving, and our first rec league games under the new lights!
• Lights were installed on Ceil Geitz Field, a nearly $70,000 project covered by 100% by MWB concession proceeds, sponsorships, and generous donations to our organization, with no cost to the City nor any grant funding involved.
• We partnered with the new Wellston High School Art Club and its over 55 members to obtain grant funding to paint murals in Wellston. Completed examples include the Manring building on Broadway Street near Ohio Avenue and the rear of Daisy’s Hometown Coffee & Randi’s Wildflower Boutique, which is visible from East 2nd Street. Plans are underway to begin painting again as soon as the weather breaks!
• Installed new metal roofing on dugouts, new metal doors on the concession and maintenance buildings, and improvements to the field lighting at Blamer Field – nearly $8,000 in improvements also paid for 100% by donations, sponsorships, and concession proceeds.
• We held 3 tournaments. By our count, each tournament brought well over 1,500 people to our town from all across the Tri-State area, thus also benefiting our local businesses along with the proceeds benefiting our sports programs.
• Our 100% volunteer crew completed all mowing and upkeep responsibilities for the Route 327 and Blamer ball fields throughout the year. This includes year-round weed eating and garbage pickup. Thank You!
• We once again partnered with the Wellston Band Boosters to sell shaved ice at rec league games and tournaments.
• Members of our organization assisted with the logistics of Phase I of the Pride Park Depot Revitalization Project, including new roofing, electrical upgrades, tuck-pointing, and more completed through state capital improvement funding. Thanks to all who made this possible!
• We worked alongside local and ODNR officials to plan for the $1.7 million dollar Wellston Recreation Complex improvements to the Route 327 fields, which will break ground in Spring of 2022!

Looking forward to 2022:

• We are excited to begin construction at the Route 327 ball fields, made possible through an ODNR Abandoned Mine Pilot Grant and the support of our public officials. Improvements to our baseball, softball, and soccer facilities, plus new paved walking paths, lighting, storage facilities, and paved parking will greatly enhance our facility and its usability for all community members.
• We can’t wait to begin the Spring Rec Season. Be on the lookout for signup information as spring approaches.
• We are excited to see the City of Wellston carry out Phase 2 of the Pride Park Depot renovations. The Depot project will result in an additional $200,000 plus in improvements through state funding sources. Many great improvements are happening!

Our volunteers are constantly on the lookout for ways to help our community grow. As we look towards the new year, we hope to take a more active role in promoting Wellston and the many great things that take place to a wider audience – stay tuned!

Your support is greatly appreciated as we go about improving Wellston. We are excited for more good things to come in 2022.

Happy New Year!