On March 4, the Strasburg Playground Association dedicated two baseball fields at Strasburg's community park to its president, Charles Book. The organization presented Book with a formal congratulation written by Senator Scott Martin and expressed its gratitude for the decades of service Book has provided to the Strasburg community. On March 14, Strasburg Borough officially named May 24, Book's birthday, Charlie Book Day. Book will celebrate his 91st birthday this year.

Book has lived in Strasburg for his entire life and has served the Playground Association for over 77 years, having first become involved with the organization when he was 14 years old. Book's father owned a greenhouse in town where the family raised flowers. After coming home from school and working at the greenhouse, Book would ride his father's tractor to the nearby baseball field to prepare it for big-league games. He never stopped caring for the field; you can still find Book today prepping the lawn for local schools' teams with the same attention he gave when it was used by the big-leaguers. The community park is open for public use and is primarily utilized by the Strasburg Willow Street Baseball Softball Association for team practices.

Book has served as the Playground Association's president for over 35 years now, and he was instrumental in making improvements to the park. Over the years, the property has been upgraded to include a second field and the Tinney Pavilion, and the park is lined with trees that Book planted himself. "He's such an inspiration. He's all about getting things done and getting them done right," said David Esh, vice president of the Strasburg Playground Association. "His care is evident when you look at the property; everything is in place and well maintained."

Before Esh became the secretary for the organization 20 years ago, it was just Book and Jim Johnson. The pair worked together to ensure the upkeep of the 4-acre property for many years, regularly completing the 3 hour-long task of mowing the grass. Over the course of the last two years, the Strasburg Playground Association has increased the size of its roster to welcome several members of the community who share Book's dedication for maintaining the fields. Along with the new members have come new ideas and plans to improve the park, such as bathroom renovations that the association hopes to complete in the near future.

"I just feel that the park is a necessity for the children in our community," Esh said. "Just yesterday I saw a whole group of kids and parents out there practicing ball. It gives me great pleasure to give these kids an outlet." Esh's own son used to play ball on the property, and Book's daughters used to practice regularly on the fields that are now dedicated to their father.

The Strasburg Playground Association raises funds by making the Tinney Pavilion available to rent for private events. For more information, contact the Strasburg Borough at 717-687-7732.