West Bend, WI – Just days before a $25,000 matching donation is set to expire the cement footings were poured for the new grandstand at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field in West Bend.
It was earlier this month when an anonymous pledge was made for $25,000 in a matching donation for the remodeling of the field. The caveat is $25,000 in donations has to be raised before a deadline of April 30, 2021 in order for the match to occur.
“I’d like former players to step up and help fund this project,” said the anonymous donor via a phone interview.
“It was sad to see the grandstand come down because it was iconic but I still believe this is the most heavily used facility in West Bend with the little league teams, high school teams, semi-pro teams, and four old-timers teams; that place operates every night. I don’t know any other facility that gets used that much and I think this is the very first time that field has had any significant capital improvements.”
The donor is hoping the community responds quickly.
“I hope I get a call from Willie Mueller saying $25,000 in donations was collected in one day. Baseball has such a legacy in West Bend and to be honest I’m shocked and disappointed the City is putting in such little money into this project. In the meantime I’ve been contacting guys and I kick myself because I should have come up with this plan earlier. I just knew I had to get involved because it means that much to me.”
Mueller with the West Bend Baseball Association said the matching donation is greatly needed. “This is a $2.1 million project and we still need to raise about $300,000,” he said. “The donor is really impressed with the field and the commitment to baseball in this community.”
Click HERE to make a donation or for traditional mail by USPS:
West Bend Baseball Association
PO Box 575
West Bend, WI 53095
