SAUGUS — World Series Park’s quest to bring lights to the field is becoming more of a reality by the day, as a number of local community members and organizations continue to donate to the World Series Park Lighting Fund. Most recently, State Representative Donald Wong and the Joey LoRusso Memorial Foundation have each made a donation of $1,000 to the fund.
Rep. Wong has served in the Massachusetts Legislature since 2011, representing most of Saugus and parts of Wakefield and Lynn. He has been responsible for sponsoring many bills and working on several committees with a perfect legislative attendance record. One of his recent accomplishments was getting the funding for the road improvements both northbound and southbound on Route 1 through Saugus. Wong has supported World Series Park since it was built in 2004. As well as purchasing a sponsorship sign, he has taken part in every ceremony at the park and donated food on several occasions.
“Representative Wong is one of our long-time supporters,” said World Series Park superintendent Bob Davis. “He has often said that he saw something in the park that he thought was worthwhile, which was providing more opportunity to the youth of Saugus to play baseball. He continues to do whatever he can to support World Series Park and we are very grateful for this.”
The Joey LoRusso Memorial Foundation was created in the memory of Joey LoRusso, a 15-year-old Saugus teenager who died from injuries sustained when he was a passenger in an automobile accident caused by a drunk driver in 2002. The Foundation was set up to memorialize Joey and to help create better lives for young people. Every Christmas, the foundation sponsors a Christmas party for the children at the Spaulding Hospital, where Joey was a patient. They have also donated to many other causes. The foundation thought it quite appropriate to help with getting lights at World Series Park to benefit the youth of Saugus.
“The Joey LoRusso Memorial Foundation has always been there for us,” Davis said. “The first time they came to our aid was paying for replacement of a section of fence in front of the third base dugout that someone stole. They’ve also donated to the construction of our building and the purchasing of a sponsorship sign. The LoRusso family is to be admired for their generosity and giving to the youth of Saugus.”
Lights will be installed at World Series Park this year. Lighting the field will extend its use by allowing for more games to be played and never having to stop games because of darkness.
Donations to the World Series Park Lighting Fund can either be mailed to World Series Park, 8 Holden Ave., Saugus, MA 01906 or by going to worldseriespark.net and donating through GoFundMe. People who donate $100 or more will get their name on a permanent plaque. Donations can also be made in honor of others or in memory of loved ones.