MOSES LAKE — The planning phase of the 2009 Babe Ruth World Series 16-18 tournament is progressing smoothly as members of the task force gathered Wednesday night to discuss this summer’s event.

The tournament which will be held at Larson Playfield Aug. 15 to Aug. 22.

With the tournament less than seven months away, Tournament Co-Director and Task Force Chairman Randy Boruff said the task force has acquired 12 major sponsors, as well as additional sponsorships, to help make the tournament a success.

In all, sponsors have donated $142,000 to support the event and Boruff said the community’s generosity is inspiring.

“I am really proud of the Columbia Basin,” he said. “(We have raised) $142,000 this early and in this (economic) climate (that) says a lot about our people.”

Major sponsors for the August tournament include the Lauzier Foundation, Holiday Inn Express, Washington Trust, Eka Chemical, the City of Ephrata, Starbucks, Horizon Credit Union, Inland Cellular, Jettsray Communications, Grant County PUD, Grant County Tourism and Bud Clary Toyota.

Boruff said he hopes tournament attendance will help pay the sponsors back for their support.

“Hopefully we can make this event big enough to pay these people back by having a large, large crowd,” he said. “If we do that, then we will be rewarded more than just (financially). We will have put smiles on peoples’ faces. The biggest problem we want is people complaining that they didn’t get to the ball park early enough.”

With the task force acquiring $142,000 in sponsorships, Boruff said the task force is turning its attention to participant housing.

The task force needs 81 homes to house tournament participants and Housing Co-Director Eileen Martinez said they have secured 28 homes for 57 players.

“We have three teams (28 homes),” she said. “We have 57 kids placed.”

Martinez said she still needs to acquire 53 homes to house tournament participants.

To volunteer to become a host family for participants contact Housing Co-Directors Eileen and Roger Martinez at 509-765-1052.