BEATRICE – A Blue Springs, Nebraska ballfield project is receiving a $4,000 grant from the Gage County Visitors Fund….to help finance improvements that will total about $8,000.


Brent Schlake is President of the Blue Springs Ball Diamond Association , which wants to put up a sign made of limestone at the entrance to the facility.
"It kind of matches the trailhead signs that are currently at Blue Springs and Wymore, so that was kind of the theme we were going for. We're just trying to beautify the entrance to our ball diamond and try to clean up the image of our ball fields. We are a 501-c-3 nonprofit formed in 1998. We're one of the few fields around that are not operated as a city park. The land is owned by Wymore, but everything we do out there is by volunteering and by sponsorships."


Schlake says the grant support is appreciated. Currently, the ball diamond facility has no sign. It was the host of a tournament this past weekend, which Schlake said drew twelve teams from Nebraska and Kansas.


"We try to pull in a lot of people. Sometimes, in our two day tournaments....they stay in hotels and support our businesses. A lot of the money actually goes to Beatrice more than Blue Springs, sometimes....but it does help the whole county."


Gage County Board Chairman Erich Tiemann says a lot of volunteer time is put into events like the Blue Springs tournament. The board approved the grant award, on a 7-0 vote.