On Saturday morning, the Chino Hills Little League held its grand opening ceremony and parade. Volunteers and vendors began setting up at 7:00 AM and by 9:00 AM the entire Community Park was buzzing with excitement. Teams and Coaches lined up around one of the diamonds and proudly held their banners before a clapping audience of family, friends, and teammates.
Little League President, Len Penzo, introduced the coaches, announced each team, and introduced dignitaries who congratulated the league on increased participation and continued growth. Mayor Curt Hagman and Councilmember Ed Graham were on hand to join in the festivities.
Little League Treasurer, Eric Aparicio, stated "Little League is all about getting involved. Your kids see everything you do and when you volunteer, you teach them valuable lessons that they will remember for all their lives. It's also about being involved with your kids and with your community."
At 11:30, after the National Anthem, the excitement came to a peak. Mayor Hagman drew the winning ticket for the $10,000 first prize in the Little League's Fund Raising Raffle. The league has been selling entries for over two months and the Grand Prize was the first to be announced. The winners were Ishmael and Patricia Gonzalez, whose daughter plays in the league.
League President, Len Penzo, gave us the following statement:
"Everybody had a great time today at our Opening Day ceremony! The kids had a blast taking part in our annual parade of teams, there were lots of great vendors, and it was an honor to have Mayor Hagman and Councilman Graham join us today.
I think Chelsea Oren did us all proud with her rendition of the national anthem. (Chelsea is a member of the Chino Hills HS Chamber Choir). Basically, it was a grand celebration. Food, folks and fun!
All in all, the ceremony was a total success in every way and it illustrated the strength of Chino Hills Little League and the selfless dedication of the scores of volunteers who work countless hours behind the scenes to make this League the success that it is.
Connie Green and Judy Bourgouin deserve all the credit for organizing the event. This is the second year in a row that they have both put on a tremendous ceremony for us.
Little League Baseball is a fun-first organization. It's all about letting the kids be kids."
We at ChinoHills.com wish the Chino Hills Little League the best and a most successful season!
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