Good Morning to the Friends of Rippey,
I hope this finds you safe and well, and doing social distancing to protect yourself and others from Covid-19.
We in Rippey were saddened to learn of the death of Jerry Groves this past week. Our deepest sympathies to his family.
Several of you have asked about the fundraising for the Rippey Ballpark, now known as Walt Anderson Field.
This is a note to inform you about baseball park fundraising efforts. As you may know the Greene County Board of Supervisors recently awarded $4,500 to the Friends of Rippey along with labor and transportation to assist in removing some sod from the outfield, and transporting crushed tile to the park. All in an effort to improve and widen the safety track.
The last field safety feature will be the installation of a protective cover on top of the chain link fence surrounding the field. If persons are reaching for a fly ball, we do not want them to scrape or injure themselves on the top of the fence. This covering will be 1250 feet around the field and will cost about $1531.00 including tax and shipping. In February I will be writing and hopefully receiving funding in April, from the Greene County Community Foundation for this protective covering of the fence. A 25% match is required, or about $400.00.
Friends of Rippey are very grateful for the response of 5 persons contributing $600.00 towards the match. The grants funds come from the Wild Rose Casino and we know because of COVID their income is less. If the grant is not awarded $931.00 additional dollars will be needed.
If there are surplus funds from donors, the dollars will be used to install a new drinking fountain that will easily accommodate refillable water bottles, ($600) or general grandstand refurbishing. This will include painting the hard to reach high areas under the grandstand, and some general strengthening of the wooden braces. This refurbishing is rather costly, running in the range of $18,000. The City of Rippey which owns the park has been asked to assist financially as well.
Areas in the ballpark recently improved, includes funding from the Greene County Community Foundation for dugout repair,and a private donation for new bases and a pitcher’s rubber. Volunteers Mel Murken and Merle Jackson, have scraped and repainted the seating area of the grandstand, cleaned up the field of noxious weeds, and repainted the recently repaired dugouts. Clay has been brought by the Greene County secondary road crew to form a new warm up pitcher’s mound on the west side of the ballfield.
A game from the Des Moines League is scheduled to be played in Rippey May 15, 2021.
Anyone wishing for a tax deductible donation may send it to:
Friends of Rippey
Box 52
Rippey, Iowa 50235
By the way, $20,000 has been secured for the Sesquicentennial plus 1 celebration tentatively planned for July 31st. We anticipate that is adequate funding.
Hoping you all of a healthy and safe Holiday Season.
Mary