Herzog’s Foundation Donated To Start A Rally Campaign For Field Improvements
HIGHLAND, IL — Baseball Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog kept the rally going for Highland baseball with a recent donation toward improvements to Optimist Field at Glik Park, along with an appearance to the facility.
The Whitey Herzog Youth Foundation made the donation to the Start A Rally For Optimist Field Community Fundraising Campaign to complete a much needed drainage project. The drainage work was the final stage of the project started in 2019 to replace the infield playing surface.
During his visit, Herzog, the former big leaguer and long-time St. Louis Cardinals manager, met with several Highland Bulldog baseball players, city parks and rec representatives, high school and Legion baseball representatives, fundraising campaign officials and the executive director of the Highland Community Foundation.
“It was a great experience to get to meet a baseball hall of famer and thank him personally for the donation that really improved the field,” said Start A Rally Campaign fundraising committee chairman Adam Koishor. “Whitey also spent some time talking baseball and giving tips to some of our high school ball players.”
The Start A Rally Campaign was started in 2018 by a group of committed baseball parents, coaches, Optimist members, and community leaders to rally around a vision to make Optimist Field in Glik Park Highland’s premier baseball facility. Phase one of the improvements was the installation of a state-of-the-art scoreboard.
“Whitey Herzog’s donation was a great step in the campaign,” Koishor said. “We really appreciate his generosity to help with our effort to improve the field. We hope that others will step up to the plate and donate so we can continue our work.”
Highland High School and the Highland Legion Baseball program, as well as other community teams, utilize the field at Glik Park. However, their budgets do not cover ongoing improvements, Koishor noted.
The goal of the Community Fundraising Campaign is to bring parents, local businesses, community leaders, and park officials together in an effort to raise the funds necessary to make improvements to the field now and in the future.
With the new scoreboard installed, the infield playing surface replaced, and a natural batter’s eye in centerfield in place, the campaign is actively raising money for other projects and ongoing maintenance to the field.
Other projects include new bullpen pitching areas, a sound system, expanded stadium seating, and fencing in front of the dugouts.
Corporate sponsorships are available for local businesses to showcase their brand to spectators and visitors to Glik Park. Families, individuals, organizations, and former high school and legion players can make a donation to the campaign.
Donations can be made to the Highland Area Community Foundation Optimist Baseball Field Improvement Pass Through Fund by visiting www.rallyforhighlandbaseball.com.
Pictured in front from left are Highland Bulldog baseball players Luke Darling, Blaine Kapp, Trey Koishor, Bryce Iberg, Jon Walker, and Chad Barker. In back from left are Highland Area Community Foundation Executive Director Terry Riffel, Start A Rally For Optimist Field Campaign fundraising committee chair Adam Koishor, Lee Iten Post 439 Baseball Chairman Wayne Wirz, Whitey Herzog, Highland Director of Parks & Recreation Mark Rosen, Focal Pointe Outdoor Solutions, Inc. President John Munie, Highland Parks & Recreation Manager Brad Koehnemann, and Start A Rally Campaign Coordinator Mike Riffel.
Copyright © 2018 Start a Rally for Optimist Baseball Field at Glik Park - Highland, Illinois - All Rights Reserved.