Following the donation of a tarp which helped keep last year’s Valmeyer Midsummer Classic dry, Dennis “Boog” Pieper Field at Borsch Memorial Park could soon be receiving another much-desired amenity: a collection of field lights.

Valmeyer Lakers Manager Mike McCarthy spoke about the longtime efforts to secure lights for the park that began with his predecessor and the baseball field’s namesake.

“We’ve been trying to get lights down at Borsch Park for 20, 30 years,” McCarthy said. “My predecessor, Denny Pieper tried and almost had it done. It fell through, and then the stars aligned, and there was a lot of interest in having it done.”

The biggest factor in those stars aligning was Ameren Illinois, specifically McCarthy’s cousin Eric Seidler, who is helping facilitate the donation of several poles to be used for the park’s lighting.

Ameren spokesman Brian Bretsch offered some more insight into the company’s donation.

Bretsch said the company is contributing eight steel poles ranging from 90-105 feet in length.

These poles are being retired – McCarthy said they are about 18 years old and in good condition – from a substation in the community that is receiving some improvements.

Bretsch noted these poles would typically just be salvaged, but as McCarthy was able to get in touch with Seidler and both projects are in Valmeyer, Ameren is happy to be able to help light the field.

“Donations come in all shapes and sizes,” Bretsch said. “In this case, our donation of steel poles is literally measured in feet, illumination and the joy of all who will be able to play baseball and softball under the lights at Borsch Memorial Park. We are thrilled to partner with the Village of Valmeyer to repurpose these steel poles.”

While procuring these poles has been a major hurdle for the project over the years, McCarthy noted Ameren is not the only party contributing to lights at Borsch Park.

He gave particular credit to longtime Lakers supporter George Obernagel for contributing to the project – he also donated the previously mentioned tarp – as well as the Valmeyer Jaycees, Luhr Brothers, Hank & Lilly’s Fountain Inn and the Valmeyer Lions.

The project, as he said, is currently about halfway toward its $150,000 goal thanks to private donors, though there is also a GoFundMe active, with leftover proceeds set to go toward later improvements to the park.

“There’s a bunch of groups that are all pitching in,” McCarthy said. “It’s a small community, so I’ve got farmers helping and welders, any kind of free labor I can get to help get this project done. It is definitely a small-town community effort.”

McCarthy also noted L.E. Myers as a subcontractor Ameren is working with for its contribution. Monroe County Electric Cooperative has also offered assistance.

McCarthy additionally spoke to the overall need for this addition, noting how there have been several occasions where the Midsummer Classic tournament in particular has run late, demanding that the last game of the evening pick up at 8 a.m. the next morning before the rest of the annual holiday tournament continues.

He also emphasized his hopes to generally improve the park for everyone – including other local sports teams.

“We think it’s gonna be a great thing for the community, not just for the Valmeyer Lakers,” McCarthy said. “It’s gonna be for high schools, American Legion teams, youth teams. We think it’s a great park, and we just want to share. Adding these lights, I think it’s just gonna really enhance that park.”

The lights for the field in Old Valmeyer are currently ordered and are expected to arrive in about six weeks. Work will then be done to prep the poles which are projected to be set toward the end of May.

McCarthy further touched on the future of the park and the kind of activity he hopes to see there given the improvements that are taken care of or currently being planned.

“It definitely helps,” McCarthy said. “What we’re hoping to do is attract and have it be a great spot for youth tournaments down the line. There’s talk of upgrading our bathrooms and concessions, and we just want to make it a really nice park for the whole area. If you have lights and you have a tarp, you can run a tournament for sure.”

Those interested in donating to the project’s GoFundMe can do so online at gofund.me/48b8403d.