March 30, 2023
Community Giving Foundation: Berwick announces a new designated fund created in memory of Dale Baker, who passed away at age 19 in the Nescopeck fire last August.
Dale was a 2021 graduate of Berwick High School and was always helpful to the people around him. He dreamed of becoming a firefighter since he was a small child, and worked his way through the junior firefighting program before he became a full member of the Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Co. #1. In addition to his passion for firefighting, Dale was a player with the Berwick Area Little League. His coaches remember him as someone who always showed up with a smile and was a team player.
“With Dale’s personality, smile, and genuine good heart, he was a blessing to be around and always made us and the other kids smile,” remember coaches Jimmy Meighan and Mark Andrews.
After Dale’s passing, community members and local firefighters came together with the idea to create a lasting legacy that would benefit kids who shared Dale’s interest. The Dale Baker Endowment Fund will support financial assistance for youth players participating in any Berwick Area Little League Association program, including player fees, equipment, uniforms, and more.
“We hope this fund allows young men and women to play baseball or softball who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity. Community giving reflects the saying ‘it takes a village’. The players and families should get to experience that same joy that we got to see on Dale’s face every time he stepped on the baseball field.”
Contributions can be made to the Dale Baker Endowment Fund online here, or mail to the Community Giving Foundation, Attn: Dale Baker Endowment Fund, 725 West Front Street, Berwick PA 18603. For more on leaving your own legacy of giving in your community, visit csgiving.org/giving-workbook.
Berwick is an affiliate of the Community Giving Foundation, which manages over 340 charitable funds and makes grant investments throughout the region to improve the quality of life in the Central Susquehanna area.
Dale Baker