Community First steps up to the plate
By James Card
Community First Credit Union donated $250,000 for the redevelopment of Lakemen Field and through a naming sponsorship commitment it will be renamed Community First Lakemen Field.
Their contribution pushed the ball park makeover project beyond its $475,000 goal.
This means work that might have been postponed will begin in the spring on a new lighting system. Lakemen and Comet players will play night games under much better conditions.
The old light poles were installed in 1976, the light fixtures were dim and baseballs were hard to see.
In the fall of 2024, a new infield will be reconstructed. The last time it was renovated was 1993. Also a new sound system will be installed.
Lakemen ball players have earned the upgrade. The team has won 18 grand championships and currently is on a winning streak, taking the Dairyland championship in 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
Not only does the field host the Lakemen games, but also American Legion, Babe Ruth and high school games are played there throughout the spring and summer. The ball park is rich in Waupaca baseball history.
Shadow Anderson, a local accountant and baseball fan, had his ashes spread on the field after he passed away in 1988.
Future upgrades
Since the fundraising exceeded the initial goal, more yet-to-be-determined improvements are a possibility. Future second-phase upgrades may include work on the bathrooms and concession building, an additional batting cage, right field fence adjustment, backstop, dugouts and 44-stall parking lot.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of Lakemen Field’s restoration/revitalization; honoring the Waupaca community’s strong baseball heritage and ensuring it will continue to serve as a community gathering place for all ages for years to come,” said Community First’s Amanda Secor.
Besides the donation from Community First, the project received $141,000 in private donations, $25,000 in grants and $175,000 from the city that was included in the 2024 Waupaca city budget.
Other major donors to the project included $25,000 each from L&L Propane and Farmers State Bank. Grants of $10,000 were awarded from the Waupaca Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and from an anonymous donor through the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Give Back Program also awarded a $5,000 grant.
“We couldn’t be more appreciative of the generosity that our community has shown towards this project. We never thought it would be possible to move forward with the next phase of this plan so quickly. Community First Lakemen Field will become a destination for ball players across the state and beyond,” said Waupaca Park and Recreation Director Laura Colbert.
“Our players and coaches will be thrilled to play on a safe, state-of-the-art field and to share the love of the game with their many fans. “Thanks to all of our donors, including Community First Credit Union and the city of Waupaca, for making this a reality,” said Lakemen General Manager Josh Peterson.
This year outside of the Recreation Center was a fundraising sign that resembled a thermometer in the shape of a baseball bat. Instead of marking degrees in Fahrenheit, it measured the money being raised for the Lakemen Field upgrade. Month by month it crept upwards.
“Josh filled it all the way in and said that was the most satisfying part of his job,” said Colbert.
The Community First Lakemen Field project is still accepting donations and they can be made through the Friends of Waupaca Parks website.