Contributed Photos
Manny Vargas (third from left) gathers with Eagle Scout Project contributors. Below, the new bullpen at Brusa Field.
GONZALES — Life Scout Manny Vargas has created two bullpens for Little League at Brusa Field as part of his project to become an Eagle Scout.
Vargas, a scout from Troop 370 of Gonzales, approached the Gonzales Rotary Club to help him with his project to construct two Little League bullpens, which are the areas where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game.
“Little League left a milestone of growth on me from when I was younger that I will never lose,” said Vargas. “Brusa Field is like a second home to me as I grew up playing there and I wanted to give something back.”
Gonzales Rotary applied and was approved for a grant from Rotary District 5230. The application was completed by Rotarian Scott Funk and Vargas’ father, Luis Vargas, who is also a Gonzales rotarian. In addition to the Rotary District grant, the Gonzales Rotary Club contributed some additional funds from its club account.
“It became quite the learning experience for him, and I used this opportunity to teach him how to manage a project,” Luis Vargas said. “As things don’t always go as planned you have to make adjustments, but the overall goal will need to remain the same.”
The project took six months to complete from the planning stage to the finished product. The labor and construction took four weekends with the help of Matt Gourley of Gourley Construction, who donated his labor, as well as donations from John Ratti of Jr. Fencing and Paul Newman of Security Contractor Services Inc.
The bullpen project was also aided by City Manager and Rotarian Rene Mendez, Tencia Vargas (Manny’s mother), Rick Enriquez, the Danny Banuelos family, and friends and family of Troop 370.
“As we turn over this project to the Gonzales Little League and City of Gonzales, that it is something special to them as well and that it will be there for many years to come,” Manny Vargas said.
A portion of the project was also funded by the Gonzales Little League.
