On Tuesday, July 29 a new scoreboard donated by Woodlands Bank was presented to Bodine Park. (Left to right): Walt Reed, Hughesville Mayor; Casey Waller, Head Baseball Coach; Richard Brown, Hughesville baseball player; Jon Conklin, CEO Woodlands Bank; Michelle Lawson, Community Office Manager, Woodlands Bank; Rich Michael, School Board President; and Mike Pawlik, School Superintendent.

HUGHESVILLE – Bodine Park in the Hughesville Borough is now home to a new digital scoreboard, thanks to Woodlands Bank. On Tuesday afternoon, July 29 a formal presentation was given to the borough and East Lycoming School District, both of whom maintain the field and park, by Woodlands Bank who stepped up to the plate, so to speak, and donated the new scoreboard.

It took awhile to get it mounted and operating according to Kevin Steele, Athletic Director which is why it wasn’t available at the beginning of the season. It finally got to be used for the first time on July 27 for a benefit Memorial baseball game and scholarship held for Joe Young who was killed in 2003.

CEO and President of Woodlands Bank, Jon Conklin, was contacted by Rich Michael, President of the East Lycoming School Board to see if the bank could help out with some of the expenses for the community’s baseball team. “We were excited to do it, and it looks great,” Conklin said as he pointed to the bank’s logo and name at the bottom of the scoreboard.

Casey Waller, the head baseball coach, said that the new scoreboard is digital and underground trenches had to be dug to lay the wiring for the antenna located on the scoreboard.

The old one, he said, which was 25 years old kept breaking down with lights going out, and so they were able to donate it to Bishop Neuman High School where it will be fixed and used for their athletic games.

The board was ordered last November from Fair-Play Company by Translux, and it took two months to custom build it according to Steele. “Installation was a difficult process because of no power being here,” Steele replied. Power had to be run underground from the outside of the fence. The controller is wireless and operated from the dugout which works up to 1500 feet.

Another obstacle for them was where to place the scoreboard so it could be at good vantage point.

“We want to thank Woodlands Bank for their generosity and support,” added Michael Pawlik, School Superintendent.

The new scoreboard will be used for varsity and JV games and the American Legion games throughout the summer. There is also an older men’s league that participates too according to Walt Reed, Hughesville Mayor who worked with the school district to get approval for the new board. “During the season, the school district does most of the maintenance on the field,” Reed explained, “but we work together to keep it nice.”

For the season, there are 20 home games scheduled and 8 to 10 junior varsity games.