by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi
Wear your red, white and blue and sport your patriotism Saturday, April 8, when Lancaster County Little League holds opening day ceremonies at Dream Fields, 1385 Irvington Road, Kilmarnock.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on the varsity baseball field.
The Lancaster Middle School jazz band will play the national anthem and Kilmarnock Volunteer Fire Department’s flag will be presented by players on the field, said Dream Fields board president Travis Pittman.
The U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown will send its 1790 color guard.
The Dream Fields board will honor Libbie DeGaetani and Shannon Smith for their service on the Youth Club of Lancaster County board. Lancaster High School athletic director Joanne Webb-Fary also will be honored. She is giving up that position at the end of the school year.
The guest speaker will be Senior Chief Petty Officer Thomas Peterson from the Aviation Survival Training Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. Chief Peterson is an active duty Purple Heart recipient. He also has received the Navy Commendation Medal with one gold star, the Navy Achievement Medal with one silver star, the Combat Action Ribbon and numerous Campaign Medals.
Chief Peterson will throw the first pitch.
Little League play will begin following the opening ceremony. Tee-ball, machine pitch and minor league games will start at 12:30 p.m. Major softball and baseball games will follow.
