'Home Run Toward Dreams': Taebaek Hometown Love Fund Drives Growth of Youth Baseball Team

Taebaek City Marks One Year of Progress with Hometown Love Donation Fund
Rising as National Prospects with Dedicated Vehicle Support for Youth Baseball Team

Taebaek City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Lee Sangho) announced on the 29th that the "Home Run Toward Dreams! Youth Baseball Team Vehicle Support Project," the first project funded by the Hometown Love Donation Fund, has surpassed its first year of implementation and is now recognized as a leading success story in fostering local youth sports.

Taebaek City Hall exterior. Provided by Taebaek City

This project, launched in 2024 as the first initiative supported by the Hometown Love Donation Fund, provided a dedicated vehicle for the Taebaek Youth Baseball Team to use for training and participation in competitions.

Students who previously faced poor transportation conditions are now able to secure a safe and reliable means of travel, allowing them to focus on training in a more comfortable environment.

The dedicated vehicle has been in regular operation more than five times a week since October last year, traveling between Taebaek Sports Park and various competition venues and training sites across the country.

With an average of over 600 km traveled per month, the vehicle is widely used to support players' participation in tournaments and training, demonstrating the tangible impact of the donations at the field level.

Thanks to this support, the Taebaek Youth Baseball Team has grown into a promising local team, achieving notable results such as third place at the 2025 Wonju Stove League Baseball Tournament, third place at the Hoengseong Hanuri Cup National Youth Baseball Tournament, and runner-up at the Hoengseong County Governor's Cup National Youth Baseball Tournament.

Taebaek City evaluated that this project demonstrates the Hometown Love Donation Program is more than just a means of expanding financial resources; it serves as a public-interest circulation model that connects the intentions of donors to the future of the region.

A Taebaek City official stated, "The warm hearts of our donors are leading Taebaek's children onto the national stage," adding, "We will widely inform citizens and donors that these donations are directly contributing to the growth of our children."

Meanwhile, Taebaek City is steadily pursuing various Hometown Love Donation Fund projects this year, including support for hearing aids and mobility aids, distribution of eco-friendly safety vests for infants and toddlers, and improvement of residential environments for vulnerable groups.

Going forward, the city plans to continue transparently disclosing the public value of donations and to further expand practical fund projects that both citizens and donors can truly experience together.