Community rallies around Armstrong County youth baseball league after thieves take renovation supplies

Community members and businesses are stepping up 24 hours after KDKA-TV shared a story about a theft from an Armstrong County youth baseball league.

Wednesday morning, there was a welcome sight for Jonathan McLaughlin at Gilpin-Leechburg Park in Gilpin Township as a truck pulled up carrying a fresh stock of wood.

It was a donation from Stanford Home Center down the road to McLaughlin's Leechburg Youth Baseball Association. 

"It is such a weight off our shoulders," McLaughlin said.

Brian Potter with Stanford said the company's owner heard the news about a thief stealing around $1,400 worth of wood behind the association's shed.

"She just, you know, saw the story and said that her kids played baseball, and, you know, she felt bad, and you know, she wanted to do something for the community," Potter said.

McLaughlin's pony league was planning to use the wood to upgrade their facilities at the park, and at Schenley Legion Field, to fix the piling on the shed, install a new roof on the press box and to create some dugouts, new bleachers and a small concession stand. It was covered in tarp, weighed down by cement blocks, until it went missing this past weekend.

After sharing their story with KDKA-TV Tuesday, McLaughlin's said the calls haven't stopped.

"It's crazy how many people just come out of the woodwork when they hear, you know, something has happened," McLaughlin said.

They've had a second lumber business offer to replace their supply, another company offer to install a metal roof on the press box, and someone offer to help with looking into security options. Then, you can't forget about the countless checks they're receiving.

Thinking they wouldn't be able to pay the bills next month, they're now ready to get to work on the renovations, so they can give the kids the best season they can.

"It shows that if we have the community's support, we can get the kids' numbers up, we can, you know, really rebuild our program the way we want to," McLaughlin said.

The Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident.

If you have any information about what happened, contact the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department at 724-845-7979.