Pizzeria Pitches In for Caldwell High Softball Dugout

The James Caldwell High School varsity softball team's field is getting an upgrade with the help of many, including a Caldwell business. Forte Pizzeria and Ristorante announced Wednesday that it will make a sponsor-level donation to help build new softball dugouts for the team.

"Our business is only as strong as our community and there is a strong sense of community in the Caldwells," said Michael Forte, who owns the Italian-cuisine restaurant with Joe and Anthony Forte and Tommy McLaughlin. "Forte has always fully supported local programs."

The check presentation was made to the Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education at its special Monday meeting.

Forte, located at 182 Bloomfield Ave., got involved after hearing of a fundraising campaign started last year by the Rotary Club of the Caldwells that promised to match community donations up to $20,000 and contribute the money to the dugout effort. In response, a group of local coaches and parents formed the nonprofit Friends of Caldwell Softball to raise money to meet the Rotary challenge.

Michael Forte said the improvement to the dugouts has been needed for a long time.

"I was raised in Caldwell and graduated from JCHS in 1992," he said. "That year we won," Michael Forte said. "When I was approached to donate to Friends of Caldwell Softball for the building of new dugouts, I was shocked to find out that the softball field/dugouts had not been updated in the 20 years since graduation.

"They were in rough shape then."  

Organizers said the dugouts will be used by approximately 300 young athletes from the Caldwells each year including T-ball, recreation, travel, junior varsity and varsity teams.  

Thanks to donations from Forte's, other area businesses and families, Friends of Caldwell Softball has met the Rotary Community Challenge and giving the dugout improvement campaign a total of $40,000.

In a last bit of good news for the effort, the local Kiwanis Club stepped up to commit the final $20,000 required to fund the approximately $60,000 project. Construction is expected to begin this summer.

Those wishing to support the project still may do so. To make a donation or purchase engraved pavers to be installed at the JCHS softball field, head to the dugout project's Eventbrite page.