Opening ceremonies for the 2011 youth baseball and softball season in Gulf Shores were celebrated at The Hangout on Saturday. Along with playing host for the festivities, The Hangout had planned to donate 10 percent of sales from a hamburger and hot dog tent back into the youth sports program.

At the end of the day, however, the gracious host donated all of the earnings from the tent, making the special day even more special for those involved.

Grant Brown, Director of Parks and Recreation was excited and grateful.

“Instead of kicking back just the 10 percent, they kicked back 100 percent which ended up being around $900 to the recreation department of the city,” Brown said. “We will take that money and use it for additional products or even to help scholarship some of the kids who really can’t afford to pay for the program.”

Brown said that two years ago The Hangout did the same thing, giving back all of the money they had raised from the hot dog stand.

“Last year they gave the 10 percent, and honestly, I had forgotten that they donated 100 percent two years ago. We are very excited about what they have done for our program and our kids.”

According to Brown, there are more youth involved in city’s baseball and softball program than they have ever had in a single season.

“We ended up with six additional T-ball teams. It was enough that we had to utilize Meyer Park for T-ball, then put all of the other baseball and softball teams at Sims Park.”

Brown said there are more than 350 boys and girls involved in the program, ranging from 4-year-olds playing T-ball to 16-year-olds who are in the softball program.