Home run challenge helps Winesburg Fall Gathering hit record $384K

For many years, the Winesburg Park softball field has been known as a launching pad for plenty of colossal home runs.

Having watched dingers fly out of the park at the annual Winesburg Fall Gathering Softball Tournament over the years, the organizers of the fan favorite softball tournament decided to have the big bashers put their money where their bats were… all for a great cause.

Last year, the organizers decided to have the deliverer of every home run donate $20 to the Winesburg Community Business Association fund that helps provide donations to families struggling with financial difficulties throughout the year.

However, that didn’t deter mighty mashers from sending rockets over the wall at an alarming clip, so this year they decided to up the ante, and in the process, they were able to raise more than $15,000 in home run donations for the cause.

This year, the cost of cranking out a tater cost each player who hit a home run $40, unless the bases were empty, at which point they forked over $100 per dinger.

With the 11 competing teams’ entry fee of $300 per team, that meant more than $18,000 was raised from the softball tournament for the Winesburg fund.

“It’s just a fun and unique way to raise some money while at the same time we felt it would make the tournament more enjoyable for people to watch rather than everyone just hitting a ton of home runs every game,” said Marcus Miller, who heads up the tournament.

Miller said the feedback they received from the players was that it was a great way to raise funds for the Winesburg Business Association, and it drew plenty of good-natured ribbing from teammates when a player smoked a home run over the fence.

While some players simply opened their wallets to pay for the right to go yard, others came plenty prepared to be able to bring the big bat to life.

“We had players who went out and got businesses or others to sponsor their home runs,” Miller said. “When we had it at $20 per home run, the sheer number of home runs was still out of hand. It just wasn’t expensive enough, and it was kind of boring to watch, so we raised the price this year.”

Miller said the committee soon found out that the big mashers who were planning on going yard as much as possible in the no-homer limit tournament came amply prepared with sponsors to back up their desire to play long-ball despite the “fines.”

“It was all really good-natured, and the guys really had fun with it,” Miller said.

What made it even more attractive to hit a home run was that the players understood that their penchant for hitting one out of the park would go toward aiding families in the area who truly needed financial support.

All told, the 31st annual Fall Gathering achieved unprecedented success, raising a record-breaking $384,000 to support local families and individuals facing financial challenges. The two-day charitable event brought together community members for auctions, raffles, tournaments and fundraising activities.

“Thanks to the generosity and participation of our community, we will be able to bless numerous widows, families, young adults and children who need support,” said Marlin Miller, president of the Winesburg Community Business Association. “This record amount represents the heart of our community and our commitment to helping neighbors in need.”

The organization expressed gratitude to all donors who contributed auction and raffle items, participants who purchased or won items at the event and everyone who supported the tournaments and other activities throughout the weekend.

The 32nd annual Fall Gathering is already in planning stages and will take place Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19, 2026.

Community members interested in making additional contributions can donate year-round through the organization's website at www.visitwinesburgohio.com. All donations go directly to supporting local families and individuals in need.

“This is such a great way to invest back into the community and the people here,” said Winesburg Fall Gathering committee member Emily Miller. “That was more than $100,000 than we raised last year, and that is just more families that we are able to support.”

One big addition to the fundraiser was the way they orchestrated the garage building raffle this year. Rather than simply have the barn go to the auction block, they sold raffle tickets, selling 993 tickets at $100 each to raise close to $100,000 on that endeavor alone.

The winner of the raffle could then choose between taking the building or $30,000 in cash as the final prize. This year’s winner opted to accept the building.

All the effort helped make for a successful weekend.

“In the end, it’s all about people helping people, something that our area is so great at,” Emily Miller said.

Finding ways to keep it fresh and make fundraising fun only helps put some pizazz in the effort, an effort that was, well, one could say a real home run this year.