MBF Spotlight: Mt. Pleasant High School

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. -- The Mount Pleasant School District baseball community learned how beneficial The Michigan Baseball Foundation foundation can be firsthand when they received a grant of $6,900 for construction of a press box at their varsity baseball complex.

MBF's grant helped put the punctuation mark on a larger fundraising effort by the district's boosters and Athletics Director Jim Conway. From the beginning, the development project was aimed at enhancing an aging facility, which houses some of the state's best baseball talent. 

"The last improvements we made were in the late 70s," Conway explained. "We had dugouts that were crumbling; fencing was becoming somewhat dangerous and a very limited press box area." 

The priority quickly became keeping the field safe, so the Mound Pleasant Sports Booster Club raised $3,500 to have the fencing mended. Isabella Bank took notice and donated a $16,000 scoreboard to help the district better its ballpark. 

"Part of our effort was to build a new grandstand and with that a press box," Conway said. "This money (from MBF) has afforded us the opportunity to do just that." 

The Oilers won a state championship three years ago, and were back in the state final last season before losing to eventual champion Orchard Lake St. Mary's. The recent success of the program made fundraising efforts somewhat easier, Conway explained. 

"It helps," he said. "It was time to improve an older facility. From a safety standpoint and from an esthetic standpoint, it really all came together." 

Safety and the comfort of participants in youth baseball programs remain at the top of the MBF priority list. The previous fundraising efforts also made Mt. Pleasant's case attractive as a potential grant recipient once the ball got rolling. 

"Our committee looks favorably upon groups that have taken the initiative to try and raise funds in other places along with our grant program," said MBF Fund Development Manager Eric Ramseyer. "We like to be able to complete a project rather than be the first money in. We like to be able to provide that final push toward accomplishing a goal." 

The project in Mt. Pleasant made perfect sense to the MBF Committee. 

"It was one of the larger grants we have given," Ramseyer said. "This is the way we share our profits with our community. It feels good knowing that what we can really make a difference in an organization." 

Construction of the press box is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2016 baseball season, according to Conway. 

"(MBF) was fantastic to work with," he said. "It's absolutely wonderful what they do. We love going to Midland and seeing a minor league baseball game. For Mt. Pleasant residents, that's our professional team. We are certainly pleased that MBF and the Loons are over there." 

The Foundation began its eighth annual grant process in April 2014 and solicited grant applications from non-profit organizations throughout the region. All applicants were required to meet one or more of the following guidelines, which reflected the purposes for which the Michigan Baseball Foundation was organized: The organization contributes to regional economic development, is based in Mid-Michigan and serves young people and promotes amateur sports and fitness.
 
Since 2008, the Michigan Baseball Foundation has awarded 231 grants to deserving non-profit organizations across 14 counties, bringing the grant program's total to $829,491 since its inception.

The Michigan Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and public charity, which was formed in 2006 to generate regional economic development and to enhance the efforts of regional organizations that serve young people through creative partnerships and grants.

The Michigan Baseball Foundation owns and operates Dow Diamond, home of the Great Lakes Loons, a Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Foundation received its initial funding from The Dow Chemical Company Foundation, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, The Dow Corning Corporation, The Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation and The Bill and Linda Stavropoulos Foundation.