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Little League

Central Citrus president savors league's success

Michele LoFaro helped the Central Citrus league start from scratch and oversaw the building of Central Ridge Park.

By LARRY BUGG
Published June 28, 2005

Michele LoFaro can look out at Central Ridge Park and feel like she was part of a winning team.

LoFaro was among many Central Citrus Little League members who gave up Saturdays to create a baseball and softball park out of a pile of dirt. Now they can point with pride to the work and accept all the compliments visitors give the facility.

LoFaro, 45, is in the final year as president of the Little League program and served on the board for eight seasons.

Like others, LoFaro had to "come on down" and bring her expertise from another part of the country to Citrus County.

LoFaro is originally from Patchogue, N.Y., on Long Island and grew up in West Islip. She and her husband, Steve, have two children, Justin, 20, and Stephen, 16.

Stephen played six years of Little League baseball and on the Lecanto High School varsity team this past season. Justin was a Little-Leaguer for nine years.

The LoFaros, who moved to Lecanto 15 years ago, started in another Little League program. Steve was an assistant coach in Crystal River for one season.

Central Citrus Little League started from scratch, playing at Rose Field in Beverly Hills for several years. Then the program came together and decided to give its kids their own place to play.

"We went into partnership with Citrus County Parks and Recreation," Michele LoFaro said. "Mark Field was president for three years and very instrumental in getting that park going."

The Central Citrus people appreciate the time and work donated in creating the Central Ridge Park near Beverly Hills.

"Larry Swain was instrumental in getting the donations and manpower for the park," LoFaro said.

"The people of Central Citrus started building the park six years ago. They built four fields and the concessions first," she said. "We had so many people and kids raking, getting the stones out. They gave up their Saturdays."

The project was finished in two years. The county

installed the bleachers and built the playground and pavilion.

"We built our own score boxes and dugouts," LoFaro said. "We put in the batting cages, the pitching stations and soft-toss stations.

"The county does a wonderful job of keeping up that park."

Like any major project, there were doubts about the Citrus facility getting finished.

"I remember being out there one day and wondering, "Is this ever going to be a field?"' LoFaro said.

The organization has made some improvements, LoFaro said, adding two fans in the concessions.

"I think we are pretty well set," she said. "We have everything we need."

The president's job consumes her time.

"It is very involved," LoFaro said. "It takes 35 to 40 hours of my week every week. There is so much paper work, uniforms, concessions to be taken care of.

"I have nine wonderful board members. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be as successful as we are."

One of the thrills for her is the league's opening day.

"You see about 340 kids," she said. "When you see those kids in uniform, it does bring tears to your eyes.

"We had closing-days ceremonies. We had over 1,000 people," LoFaro said of the event organized by Candace Sykes and Jean Gonzalez. "The kids had a great time. Every child from T-ball up went home with something. They might have gotten a medal, a bag of candy. We had a home run derby. It was outstanding."

All of the LoFaros have pitched in for the president.

"I am grateful for my own family to help when needed," LoFaro said.

Visitors remind the Citrus group of the gem that is its field. "Everybody from every other place compliments the park on how nice it looks," LoFaro said.

LoFaro, who works as a Lecanto High primary school secretary, plans to continue helping the league despite her return to college. She will attend Central Florida Community College in Lecanto for a degree in elementary education.

"I will miss the league as a whole and being involved in Central Citrus," LoFaro said. "If they need help in concessions, I will be there."

[Last modified June 28, 2005, 01:46:16]