By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Just five years after an expansive reconstruction project brought new life to Tony Kawlewski Field in Henning, a similar project is nearing completion for another baseball and softball field at the fairgrounds.  ¶  After years of patching the fencing that was falling down and uneven playing surfaces on the softball fields, a large remodeling project began last fall that removed all of the previous fencing, installed irrigation, new dugouts and fencing for both fields. The two main softball fields were reworked to create a baseball and softball field with similar dimensions that will turn what was once an eyesore into a new place for the next generation of baseball and softball players in the community.

Diane Thorson, who has led an expansive fundraising effort for the new softball and baseball field, said organizers are waiting on the fencing to be completed this spring and a new topper to be put on the fencing. With the assistance of a committee made up of students and community members, the softball restoration project has raised $144,727 since last summer. The hope is to have the new fields playable sometime this summer.

In order to help get the playing surfaces ready for the summer, Kale Misegades is organizing a ball field project day as part of his National Honor Society project. Thorson said the Henning junior is going to organize a group of students and community members to rake, shovel and get the fields ready for the finishing touches. 

Funding for the project was generated through private donations and grants. The group has received donations from families, local non-profits, government organizations and places like Major League Baseball. 

All of the initial work to replace the softball fields has already been funded, but there are a number of finishing projects and additions that the group of students and community members have come up with to help give the new fields a sleek design. Those projects are still in need of funding, but the hope is a new push in the community will raise the necessary funding to complete these projects. 

While the original plan was to have a fence dugout at each field, Thorson said a group of students wanted to see a cement dugout at both fields to make Tony Kawlewski Field. The group is currently raising money to install a cement dugout down the road, which would replace the fence one that is installed. 

Thorson said one of the fundraisers will be to sell plants and flowers from Goedon’s Greenhouse this spring and another will be to sell an actual block on the dugout that will be engraved with a message from a donor. The plan was to sell the blocks for $250 apiece that will help to fund the new addition.

Donations are also needed to put cement in the dugouts, cover the cost for cement for the new scoreboard that will be installed at the softball field and a flag pole.

“We are accepting donations for the finishing touches,” said Thorson. “All of those funds raised will go to the finishing touches.”

Donations can be made by contacting the City of Henning or Diane Thorson. A donation board will be constructed with the names of the businesses, non-profit groups and individuals who made a donation to the overall project. Thorson said the amount of each donation will not be listed on the board, but if someone wants to have their name listed as a donor they should make a donation by May 5. 

Henning School will be doing the graphics for the board and the art students are working on a special design for the large rock near the ball fields. The idea was to have each year’s graduating class to add a new layer of paint and design to the large rock to give it a fresh and unique look each year. 

For more information about the reconstruction project, contact Thorson or the City of Henning.