The Craig County Recreation & Conservation Association is a community-driven organization that is dedicated to providing a wide range of sports and recreational activities for children of all ages. We believe that participating in sports and other physical activities is an important part of child development and helps children learn valuable skills such as teamwork, leadership, and perseverance. Our team is committed to providing high-quality sports programs that are fun, safe, and inclusive for all children. We offer a variety of sports programs that cater to the diverse interests and abilities of our young athletes, including Tee Ball, Baseball, Softball, Football, Volleyball, Basketball, and Soccer. We are proud to be a valuable resource for families in our community and look forward to helping children grow and develop through sports and recreation.
There being no parks and recreation department or complex in Craig County, an organization of parents and volunteers having the desire to enhance education, recreation and conservation opportunities for county youth and families have created the Craig County Recreation and Conservation Association (CCR&CA) in the summer of 2005. The CCR&CA has a Board of Directors, a sports director and coaches, committees for special projects and fund raising. A nonprofit organization, CCR&CA has acquired a State Corporation Commission Charter, VA Retail Sales and Use Tax Exemption, and is exempt from federal income tax under section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, the Association works in collaboration with local organizations and the County of Craig to combine and share expertise and resources for this low socio-economic and underserved population.
The mission of the CCR&CA has been to acquire and develop affordable and accessible property to become a multi-purpose recreation and conservation area for Craig youth and families. With assistance from the VA Department of Conservation and Recreation, an 18-acre site for this purpose was purchased in partnership with the Craig County IDA in 2008, and is in perpetuity for recreation. The Association has now developed the property and complex for sports and recreational activities, implemented PSA water service for future concessions and rest rooms, a commercial septic system, a well for watering fields, transformer/lines for electric service, and three baseball/softball/T-ball fields. CCR&CA is also organizing and coordinating the youth sports programs since there is no County parks and recreation department, and youth are currently utilizing the complex for practicing and playing ball games and tournaments.
The recreational complex and resulting activities are making a tremendous impact on the citizens and economy of Craig County. It not only provides a basic community service that enriches our rural County’s natural assets, but serves as a multi-generational, multi-purpose outdoor complex for local as well as area and even state sporting events. It will also serve as extra space for school ball games, a place for family and group activities, an area to develop physical fitness and promote healthy lifestyles, an outdoor learning lab, access to the waters of Craig Creek, and a way to improve conservation and stewardship practices. Tourism opportunities are expanding as visitors attend tournaments and events, resulting in retail sales growth as well as tax revenue, a real enhancement for the County’s economic development.
In order to implement the mission, funding to purchase the property and the development process has been acquired from individual gifts, donations and grants, with major funds coming from the Virginia General Assembly, the VA Department of Conservation and Recreation, Foundation for the Roanoke Valley, Roanoke Women’s Foundation, Community Foundation of Western Virginia, Craig EDA, County of Craig, New Castle Town Council, Farmers and Merchant’s Bank, Pierson Engineering, and Adams Construction Company. Additional CCR&CA fund raising projects, numerous in-kind donations and volunteer efforts have also been contributed. However, as we continue to work on the complex, funding sources for recreation projects have become extremely limited. But as volunteers, we cannot let these factors keep us from succeeding; we need to work even harder to complete the sports complex for our children and families, maintain financial sustainability, and create a positive impact on the local economy.