Local Youth Sports Equipment Swap attracts 100+ families

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Many families throughout Bay County didn’t have to break the bank to get high-quality sports equipment Saturday.

Publix Sports Park, Coastal Waste & Recycling, and United Way of Northwest Florida teamed up to host their first Youth Sports Equipment Swap from 9 a.m. to noon.

People donated gently used sports gear over the past three months to make the event possible. PanCare also provided free sports physicals.

Organizers said it’s a community-centered event to give everyone a chance to play ball.

”It’s not, you know, a $40 or $50 registration fee for the parks, Lauren Hopkins, Commercial Sales Executive at Coastal Waste & Recycling, said. “It’s definitely the $100 bat and cleats and equipment. By the time you’re done it’s a couple hundred dollars. It gets expensive, so we kind of wanted to break that barrier for families in Bay County who need the equipment.”

The remaining gear is now at Family Services Agency. Hopkins said she hopes to hold the event again next year. NewsChannel 7 was told around 150 families stopped by.

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