Summertime is the smell of freshly cut grass, the sight of unbelievably straight white chalk lines on a baseball diamond and the sound of chuckling kids in a dugout.

Dixie Youth season is a magical time of the year when kids look forward to hitting and throwing baseballs and softballs with their friends.

The work put in by each player gives fans much enjoyment during each game. Those fans could perhaps watch teams work together while enjoying a fresh hot dog on squeaky-clean bleachers.

But, that experience did not happen in the blink of an eye all by itself. It took dedication and patience from the volunteers of the Prince Edward-Farmville Youth Association (PEFYA), the Buckingham County Youth League (BCYL) and Cumberland Youth League (CYL).

Without those volunteers, Dixie Youth summer sports in the area would not exist.

Those volunteers spend hours at their fields supporting their organizations by cleaning, cooking, coaching and more.

Who do you think organizes each game and event? The willing volunteers who receive no monetary reward for their time and efforts. These are parents and other citizens who do it to make the Dixie Youth experience a reality for hundreds of area children.

Volunteers order and cook the food that fans and players enjoy eating at the field each day. They clean the bleachers, bathrooms and dugouts that teams will use each game. Some of them provide snacks and drinks to the players who will be hitting the ball that afternoon. They spend nights during their regular work week teaching those players the fundamentals of their sport and how to improve their skills.

They do it all.

A lot of people forget how much work those volunteers provide on a regular basis.

All for what? All for the experience gained by the Dixie Youth participants.

The volunteers should be applauded for their efforts in making the Dixie Youth experience what it is for our local upcoming athletes: fun and educational.

They should be thanked for their patience in teaching young children, their kindness to those they assist, their understanding with working parents whose kids arrive a few minutes late for practice and their willingness to help each child improve in the sports they love.

The Heart of Virginia, as a community, should be proud of the volunteers they have and all that they do.