
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 1, 1993                   TAG: 9307010540
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By KAREN L. DAVIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CORPORATE CITIZENS PITCH IN TO LIGHT BALL FIELDS

When Bob Sessions donned the cap of ways-and-means director for the Glenvar Baseball League, he learned that "ways and means" often means "do it yourself."

But he also found out that there are many generous people in the community willing to give to a good cause.

His project with the Glenvar Baseball League, which has a Little League charter, started in April 1992, when he set out to find the ways and means to light three ball fields at Green Hill Park for nighttime use. But it wasn't until May 5 this year that the first evening game was played under the new lights.

"We thought we would start with one or two poles at a time. So I called Koppers Industries to get a price. Next thing I knew, Koppers had donated 12 poles, enough for all three fields," Sessions said.

Once Sessions had the 60-foot light poles, weighing more than 4,000 pounds each, he needed somebody with a crane to help put them in the ground. For that task, he called upon his own employer, C&P Telephone.

Green Hill Park, on Diuguids Lane off U.S. 11 in western Roanoke County, was dedicated in 1990.

Jim Jones, assistant director for the Roanoke County Parks and Recreation Department, said money raised by volunteers and clubs using the park's facilities "goes a long way toward helping [the county] provide the services to them."

Jones said the initial projected cost of lighting the ball fields at Green Hill Park was approximately $30,000.

"It was in the plans for Roanoke County to eventually light all of these fields, but our program was growing so fast, we just couldn't wait," Sessions said.

When the league's request was presented to the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, "The county voted 5-0 to give us $15,000 to buy fixtures," Sessions said.

"[The county] purchased the fixtures, and the club came through with the installation and the poles," Jones said.

For the installation, Appalachian Power Co. donated high-voltage cable, transformers and labor for wiring the light poles, plus three dusk-to-dawn lights, Sessions said.

Westinghouse Electric Supply Co. also donated electrical conduit and wiring materials, he said.

An electronic scoreboard for each ball field was donated by the Omelet Shoppe on Wildwood Road, Interstate Batteries of Roanoke and Moore's Lumber and Building Supplies.

Most of the businesses that donated materials or services also sponsor teams, Sessions said. Sponsoring a team costs from $175 to $500. Sponsors help pay for uniforms and equipment. All team sponsors have their company names displayed on a board in the concession stand.

by CNB