This Year's Project: Park Enhancements for 2023-2024
About Our Organization
Graves Park offers a multitude of activities for all ages. The baseball field is the project we are working to raise dollars for this year in the Siouxland Big Give. From basketball, to picnics under the shelter, or enjoying a family walk on the trail, to baseball; Graves Park has it all. Please support the dugout project for the baseball field in Wakefield this year during the big give to support positive youth activities in Siouxland.
Current Project: Park Enhancements for 2023-2024
The 2023 Graves Park Forever Big Give Project calls for enhancing areas surrounding the “POW-MIA Seat of Honor” the center piece of 2023 Nebraska Eagle Scout of the Year, Jack Schlickbernd’s Eagle Service Project.
Enhancement with cost estimates:
$609.19 - Install an ADA accessible sidewalk connecting to the main sidewalk for easy access $609.19 to the “Seat of Honor” site.
$2198.61 - Draw Graves Park visitors to the site by installing 24 POW-MIA flags along the 200 feet of sidewalk surrounding the Eaton Field spectator area.
$2490.97 - Move four existing landscape block flower planters back 20’ to the main sidewalk which will enlarge the area for baseball fans/visitors to mingle and create space for the installation of more “seats from famous stadiums.” We need to install seats from 15 more Major League stadiums to complete the project. Jack’s favorite team is the Chicago White Sox and we need to get 2 seats from the south side.
TOTAL = $5,217.77 ($5,218)
Graves Park Forever projects planned to benefit from any Big Give contributions include the following:
1) T.J. Jenkins, the Wayne County Fair’s Artist in Residence (3 days) will attempt to turn the remaining 12’ of a diseased Scotch Pine’s trunk into a baseball (ball/bat/glove) work of art. The Scotch Pine is (was) located near the right field deck at Eaton Field in Wakefield, the Baseball Capital of Nebraska.
2) To create a display of appreciation to acknowledge all of the contributors to the Graves Park Forever Fund since it was established in 2011.
3) In it’s 81 year history Eaton Field has been home for WHS football, baseball, track and field teams and American Legion Post 81 baseball. All ages of youth softball and baseball teams used the field until the grass infield was installed in 1970. To help recognize the history of Eaton Field we would like to install 33 poles and 33 championship and runners-up flags/banners. The poles would also keep motor vehicles a little further away from pedestrians and the flags would add color to our park.
4) Wakefield has not hosted an American Legion State Tournament since 2006. Wakefield Post 81 won the 2006 Tournament going against a field of eight strong teams. Jake Diekman of Wymore pitched in the tournament, Jake has been in the Major Leagues for several seasons. The left-hander is now pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. Other major league pitchers Wakefield has faced in Class C State Tournament play are Thad Weber of Friend, and Travis Hughes of Elwood. Field improvements necessary to submit the strongest application for hosting the 2024 State Senior Tournament are:
• New boards on the outfield fence
• Home and visitor bull pens for warming up pitchers.
• Home in right field; Visitors in left field.
We have a dedicated and hard working group of players and we are dedicated to improving Eaton Field in every way possible to give them the opportunity to compete for a championship on their home field. A successful Big Give will allow a group of dedicated volunteers to begin work on completing these important improvement projects. The American Legion Baseball program has been available to our aspiring athletes in the Wakefield area since 1936! We could really use your help in completing these projects at our ball park.
Members of the Wakefield Community Foundation Board of Directors include:
Laura Dendinger, president; Leslie Bebee, vice president; Theresa Miner, secretary; Deb Lundahl, Zach Dolen, Bill Heiman and Paul Eaton.
Members of the Graves Park Forever Committee include:
Scott Kneifl, Jono Kline, Chris Loofe, Nicki Decker, Steve Greve, Ross Hansen, Justin Dutcher and Mike Clay, Mark Lundahl and Paul Eaton.
Enhance area around the POW/MIA Seat of Honor
Project Details
Plans are to enhance the area around the beautiful POW/MIA seat of honor with a walkway, raised flower planters and landscaping. The POW/ MIA Memorial was Jack Schlickbernd’s Eagle Scout Project. Jack also worked on our on-going “seats from famous stadium’s project”: adding seats gifted by the Twins, Royals, Athletics, Rockies, and Rangers.
We now have 15 of the 30 Major League teams represented and are working to finish the project.
POW/MIA Seat of Honor
Project Details
The Graves Park Forever Fund within the Wakefield Community Fund is registered with the Siouxland Big Give which is taking place on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.
The Siouxland Big Give is patterned after the highly successful events designed by leaders of the Omaha Community Foundation.
This campaign begins online on Tuesday, September 21, 2021.
Graves Park Forever projects planned to benefit from any Big Give contributions include the following:
1) A potential Eagle Scout project is in the early planning stages. The design includes installing a POW/MIA “Seat of Honor.”
The area behind the third base dugout and flag garden at Eaton Field, surrounding the “Seat of Honor” will be enhanced with landscape designs that include paving brick from Main Street in Wakefield, flowers, decking, and stadium seats.
When completed the area will balance and compliment the attractive and popular area located behind the first base dugout and create an appropriate location for the “Seat of Honor.”
2) To create a display of appreciation to acknowledge all of the contributors to the Graves Park Forever Fund since it was established in 2011.
3) In addition, the Wakefield Community Foundation has received a grant from the Gilchrist foundation in the form of a micro-grant which can total up to $2,500.
The Gilchrist Foundation will contribute a matching dollar for dollar grant to help support the creation of the “Seat of Honor”.
The Graves Park Forever Fund is within the Wakefield Community Foundation, which itself is an affiliate of the Siouxland Community Foundation.
Members of the Wakefield Community Foundation Board of Directors include: Laura Dendinger, president; Leslie Bebee, vice president; Theresa Miner, secretary; Deb Lundahl, Zach Dolen and Paul Eaton.
Members of the Graves Park Forever Committee include Scott Kneifl, Jono Kline, Chris Loofe, Nicki Decker, Steve Greve, Ross Hansen, Justin Dutcher, Mike Clay and Paul Eaton.
Grave's Park Dugout Updates
Project Details
Graves Park offers a multitude of activities for all ages. The baseball field is the project we are working to raise dollars for this year in the Siouxland Big Give. From basketball, to picnics under the shelter, or enjoying a family walk on the trail, to baseball; Graves Park has it all. Please support the dugout project for the baseball field in Wakefield this year during the big give to support positive youth activities in Siouxland.