By Tim Leeds
The Havre American Legion Baseball Parent's Group's project to light the American Legion Baseball Field through the Brian Fanning Memorial Fund is moving right along, although money still needs to be raised and much work remains to be done, Judy Ireland said.
The generous and quick response of the businesses and people of Havre and of friends of baseball around the country have allowed lights to be ordered in November, and they will be up and running this spring, Ireland, a representative of the fund, said. She said the family of Ted Heberly also recently made a donation for the project in his memory. The purpose of the memorial fund, established by the family of Brian Fanning after his death in June 2000, is for purchasing and placing lights on the baseball field.
The lighting system will consist of eight poles and a total of 60 lights for the field. The poles sell for $5,000 each, and the American Legion Parent's Group is selling the lights for $100 each. The names of the purchasers will be placed on a plaque by the concession stands, with the names of the purchasers of the poles also on the pole they purchase.
Many of the poles and lights have already been purchased, although there are also still many available. Some of the people and organizations who have donated to the fund through their purchases of light poles include the Brian Fanning family in his memory, Bob and Cheryl Evans in memory of Toni Evans, The Town Pump Charitable Foundation and the Hill County Tavern Association.
Lights purchases include one in the memory of Brian Fanning; also for Stacy, Scott and Steve Fanning, one light each; Dallas and Vera Fanning, one light; Roy and Marian Leamer, one light; Alan, Wendy, Ali, Ryan, Lori, Bob and Sam Evans, one light each; Logan, Brandon, Jessica, Teri and Robert Bickford, one light each; Chuck Williams, one light; Kurt Grimm, one light; Michael Holden, one light; the Clint Widdekind family, one light; David Knight, one light; Ron Petrick, one light; Daniel Bates, one light; Gar Wynne in honor of Robert Patterson, one light; the Steve Mariani family, one light; Greg and Shari Baltrusch, Garty and Molly Baltrusch, Nate and Nikki Baltrusch and Kyle and Jenna Baltrusch, one light per couple.
Many of the lights and poles have been purchased in memory of someone or in honor of someone who has helped baseball in Havre. Ireland said anyone purchasing a light or pole can request which light or pole the name would be placed on and the Parent's Group will do its best to designate that location for them.
Anyone who is interested in helping out with the lighting project by purchasing a remaining pole or light can contact Judy Ireland at 265-7119.
