Waldoboro residents and town officials gathered on June 17 for the opening ceremony at the Charles “Chuck” Begley Memorial Field in Waldoboro.
Members of the Begley family participated in the ceremony, which was followed by the Waldoboro Babe Ruth Baseball team squaring off against Belfast on the newly constructed field.
“I can’t even begin to scratch the surface to name everyone that has been involved,” said Master of Ceremonies and Waldoboro Recreation Director Kyle Santheson. “So, to all of you who lent a hand, I thank you.”
Begley, born in 1927 in Lawrence, Mass., served in the US Army during WWII and moved to Waldoboro in 1949 after he graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick.
He taught at Waldoboro High School and Medomak Valley High School for a combined 38 years. He was a long-time member of the Republican Party, and at one time the president of the Waldoboro Lions Club.
He served as Lincoln County treasurer from 1982 to 1992 and as a state senator from 1992 to 1996. He was a trustee for the Waldoboro Public Library and served as chairman of both the Planning Board and Budget Committee.
“[Begley] had strong opinions on many topics, but also maintained a constant sense of fairness and had a generous sense of humor,” said Town Manager William Post at the ceremony. “[Begley] was an outspoken believer in the value of community action and his advice and counsel played a large role in the successful completion of these fields.”
Begley was a founding member of the Medomak Valley Community Foundation Fundraising Committee, which was behind the construction of the field.
The field is “the culmination of 14 years of very hard work by dedicated supporters and volunteers,” Santheson said. Those supporters included the members of the Community Foundation and many others who came together to raise the money and build the field.
Clinton Collamore, the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, spoke at the ceremony and recognized John Blamey for his critical role in making the field a reality.
Blamey was the driving force behind the project and Community Foundation, Collamore said. “Without his strong will, personal drive and commitment to make Waldoboro a better place, this project would never have started. Thank you John.”
At the ceremony, Lou Cook of the Waldoboro Lions Club presented a $3000 donation to the Community Foundation.
Following the speeches and presentation of the check, members of the Begley family and the Waldoboro Babe Ruth baseball team gathered on the field. Jean Begley cut the ribbon officially opening the field and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
