For Kristine Flythe, the sight of overgrown weeds creeping behind the dugouts and practice areas at the softball field at Dunbarton Elementary School for nearly 15 years was hard to ignore.

“It made me sad,” she said. “The kids could be using that field during recess or gym, but it just wasn’t playable.”

Flythe couldn’t bear to watch it waste away any longer. She knew something had to be done.

She rallied a local landscaping company, a nonprofit Little League in Goffstown, and other volunteers to help restore the field.

Together, they cleared brush, made repairs, and turned the long-neglected field into a safe, usable space once again.

This restoration was just one of the many projects Flythe took on after becoming chair of the Dunbarton Recreation Committee in 2022.

But Flythe’s commitment to the town doesn’t stop there. She also serves as president of the Dunbarton Elementary School PTO and actively volunteers with the town’s garden club.

Shelley Westenberg, the principal’s secretary at Dunbarton Elementary, calls Flythe “the dynamo of Dunbarton.”

“She has transformed this place for families in a way that I can’t imagine anybody else doing,” said Westenberg. “I think the town is realizing that she’s sort of a linchpin for a lot of the town activities that happen now. She’s really brought things back to life in a kind of old-fashioned way.”

Before Flythe stepped into the role, the town offered only a basketball league for kids during the winter.

Now, thanks to her efforts, there’s a fall soccer program for Pre-K to second graders. In the spring and summer, in partnership with Goffstown Junior Baseball, children also have the opportunity to participate in the T-ball program for young children.

But Flythe is quick to deflect credit, saying it’s all possible because of the team and volunteers she works alongside.

“I do my best to just try to make the connections and communicate with people,” said Flythe. “It’s not me, single-handedly doing everything. It’s the volunteers, so many parents and coaches and everyone working together, making it all possible.”

In addition to her volunteer roles, Flythe also works full-time in Lebanon as a Program Coordinator for the Lebanon Recreation, Arts and Parks Department.

She said being active and engaged in the community is something she truly enjoys.

“If you’re involved in your community and you give to those around you, down the road, if you ever need something, the community supports one another,” said Flythe.

After her full-time job, she shifts gears in the evenings — once her children’s sports activities are done — to focus on PTO and Recreation Committee responsibilities.

Though she admits she tends to stay up late, she’s working on finding a better balance.

Behind the scenes, Flythe credits her husband, Alan Flythe, as her greatest support.

While there are plenty of opportunities for recreation in nearby towns like Bow and Goffstown, Flythe said, for a small community like Dunbarton, it’s important to have resources available right in town.

Ultimately, Flythe says all the work she does is for her children, who get to join her and take part in the activities right alongside her.

“Giving back, I think, is something that I’ve always wanted to show my kids and share with them that it doesn’t always mean you have to be paid to give back and make a difference,” said Flythe. “I really want them to grasp onto that.”

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com