Dad's dream catches hearts of others
Baseball diamond for disabled gathers support
By Patrick Lalley
plalley@argusleader.com
Published: May 1, 2007

Ron Griebel's on the verge of a miracle.

The unassuming Sioux Falls man stood in front of a few hundred of the city's movers and shakers on Monday and calmly explained why he needs $100,000.

It's not the kind of thing most people will have the opportunity, or the desire, to ever attempt. But Griebel, a draftsman at Architecture Inc., made his pitch like he was talking to a neighbor over the back fence.

You may remember Ron Griebel's story from a column in January. His story is a lesson for us all in the quiet power of fatherly dedication.

He has a sense of purpose born less than a year ago on a special baseball field in Rochester, Minn.

You'll recall that it was in Rochester where he first watched his daughter Samantha - a Roosevelt High School student who uses a wheel chair due to cerebral palsy - play baseball. On that trip he and a friend talked about building a similar field in Sioux Falls, a Miracle Field, for kids like Sam who wouldn't normally get to play the game.

With the help of his colleagues at Architecture Inc., Ron started the process of getting a Miracle Field approved and paid for. The playing surface is made from recycled tires so it's forgiving. The bases and other markers are painted on for safety and ease of movement.

They had the first meeting on Sept. 9, and it's been an amazing whirlwind of success ever sense.

In December they got the approval of the Parks Board to build the field at the Sioux Empire Baseball Association complex at Covell Lake.

Then they got a $100,000 commitment from Sioux Falls Construction.

That was matched by $100,000 from the Community Dividend Fund at Sanford Health System.

Which was followed by $25,000 from First Premier Bank, $5,000 from First National Bank and $2,500 from Citibank.

On Monday, Ron was at the podium of the Downtown Rotary Club, asking for another $100,000, a goal that club officials are confident they will make.

That would bring the total to about $333,000. It's enough to get the field built yet this summer and let the little miracles play out one hit at a time.

"I was just amazed that a whole club like this wants to step up to the plate," said Griebel. "When they said they want to do the full amount, ... that blew me away."

The Rotary Club was looking for a new project to get behind, something tangible that members could point to in the future. Over the years, the club has been involved in many different efforts but found itself at a crossroads.

"It's been awhile since we took on something new and exciting," said Tom Gage, vice president of the club.

"We're hoping this will lead us into more projects," said Pat Cannon, club president.

Key to the fundraising success was the early involvement of Sioux Falls Construction. The field will be named after the company's past president and longtime Rotary Club member, Frank Boyce, who passed away in December at age 80.

To honor Boyce's lifetime love of track and field - he was on the Washington High School team in the 1940s and attended three Summer Olympics - a track was added to the Miracle Field design.

Members of Boyce's family were in attendance Monday for the pitch to club members.

"Frank would be terribly pleased and supportive," said Boyce's wife, Lois. "Track was his spectator sport, so this is very fitting."

Now that the major fundraising appears to be over, and pending some final approval by the city, plans call for digging to start in mid- to late May. That would put the field on schedule to be finished by Sept. 1.

Griebel hopes to have a couple of events on the Miracle Field in the fall and then start with leagues next summer. The Sioux Empire Baseball Association will administer the leagues.

There's also a little more fundraising needed for ongoing maintenance and to help kids who can't afford it to pay for equipment.

But Griebel is now looking forward to a bright fall South Dakota day when kids who otherwise wouldn't get to experience the joy of running the bases or knocking down a grounder will play a simple game of baseball.

"That will be the day that will knock me off my chair."