Tyler Steffey Little League Field
Click Here to download the Letter to the Editor - June 26 2008
Update: July 1 2008 - July should be a busy month for the Tyler Steffey Field project. The Board of Directors has given approval for the staking of the ball field, the excavation work and signing the “Letter of Intent” with the Dexter Little League. This took place the last full week of June. The Little League also gave a $10,000.00 check toward the ball field project. We are currently working on getting bids for the installation of the sprinkler system for the fields. Plans are to use the water in the retention pond to irrigate the ball fields when needed. The Mexican Fiesta at Peace will raise about $2,600 once matching funds from Thrivent are received. A big “Thank You!” to Juan Ramos and his team for organizing this fun – fundraiser! You can check out the progress on the field when you come to church on Sunday or on the Tyler Steffey Field link on the church web site. www.peaceaa.net.
Update June 26 2008 - Patrick, from C. Wilson & Associates, began the survey work for the Tyler Steffey Field on Thursday, June 26th. He is setting the corners for the field area. This is the first step in preparation for the excavation work that should begin by mid July.
Update: June 24 2008 - Tyler Steffey Field Work beginning
In the Picture: Larry Courson, Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church; David Chie of Chie Contractors; Craig Eckfeld of C. Wilson & Associates and Bill Spargur on the Peace Ball Field Committee and Granger Construction standing in front of the future site of Tyler Steffey Field at Peace Lutheran Church
Work on Tyler Steffey Field will begin very soon. C. Wilson & Associates plan to begin survey and staking work for the Field this week, weather permitting. Chie Contractors plan to begin excavation work by mid July to prepare the ground for the future ball field. Construction pictures will be available on the Peace Lutheran Website at www.peaceaa.net. The "Letter of Intent" with the Dexter Little League will be signed this week and their donation of $10,000 will be placed in the Tyler Steffey Field bank account. At the current time enough funds have been received to cover the cost of the staking, excavation and seeding. Additional funds will be needed to put in a sprinkler system, backstop and side line fencing. The goal is to have the baseball field ready for play sometime during the Little League Season next spring. Tax Deductable donations may be sent to Tyler Steffey Field, Peace Lutheran Church, 8260 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Update: June 1 2008 - Work on the Tyler Steffey Field at Peace Lutheran Church should begin soon. Thanks to a number of successful fund raisers, we have enough funds in the ball field account to begin staking and grading work on the field. Thanks to Marty Ruhlig for plowing the field in preparation for the excavation work. We also plan to fence around the retention pond this summer. Opportunities to help on the field may come later this summer with the fence, steps, walk path and sprinkler system installation. We’ll keep you informed. Pictures will be posted on the church website when work begins on the field.
Community Sponsored Fund Raising Events
Bob's Big Boy: Raised $10.452.86
Update: March 13 2008 - It is official. The name of the baseball/softball and open fields at Peace Lutheran Church is "Tyler Steffey Field." The site plans have been submitted to Scio Township for final review and approval. These plans were developed and donated by Site Designs Solutions in Kalamazoo. The next step will be submittal of plans to Washtenaw County for check of the soil erosion and earthwork plans. Because of space limitations only one baseball / softball field will be build. The open area will also be prepared and useable as a warm up area, T-Ball, and socceer field. The first check was written out of the Tyler Steffey Field account to pay the $200 for the Zoning Compliance Application. A big thank you to Site Designs Solutions for the great job they did in developing the site plan!
Click here to download the site plan (.pdf)
Funds received: $30,000
Fund Raiser Co-ordinator for Peace: Ann Ruhlig
She may be contacted by emailing the church - peacelutheran@peaceaa.net
Target Date: Opening day of Spring Little League 2009
How do you bring something good out of a tragedy? That was the question many people asked after Tyler Steffey’s death in a car accident on December 11th. Although we know that the events of the tragic day cannot be changed, many hope that some good can be done in Tyler’s name and in his memory. That is why Peace Lutheran Church is working with Mike, Deanna and Gina Steffey and the Dexter Little League to build a Little League baseball field in Tyler’s name on the church property.
When the Dexter Little League began in the spring of 2003, there were about 150 young people playing baseball on twelve different teams. Tyler’s father, Mike Steffey, has served on the Little League Board and also as the head official. This past spring (2007), almost 500 youth between the ages of 7 and 14 were playing either baseball or softball as part of the Dexter Little League organization.
The rapid growth of the Little League made the need for more ball fields apparent. The League has been using the Dexter Community School ball fields from the beginning. Efforts to find additional locations for expansion have not been successful. With the help of Mike Steffey, a member of the church and vice chairman of the Board of Directors, Peace Lutheran began talks with the Dexter Little League about building a baseball field on church property in 2005. The goal remains to provide a field for teams to play and practice on. The church was able to receive zoning approval from Scio Township to build a ball field just north of the parking lot. The ball field has not been completed because of funding issues.
Because Tyler played baseball in Dexter, because the Steffeys are members of Peace and because discussions have already taken place about building a new field on the church property, the decision was made to try to make a Little League baseball field on the church property in Tyler’s name. This will be a lasting memorial that will honor Tyler and provide the opportunity for more youth in our community to play baseball and softball.
A separate account has been created at United Bank & Trust in Dexter for the field that will be named for Tyler. Over $17,000 has already been donated for the ball park. All of the money raised will be used exclusively for the construction of the ball field, storage shed for league supplies, fencing of the retention pound, equipment and maintenance of the field. Dexter Little League plans to pledge funds to help complete the field. Families signing their sons or daughters up for Little League and Softball this spring will be given the opportunity to make a special donation to the field. A number of other fund raising efforts are under way including a benefit dinner at the Zeeb Road Bob’s Big Boy on January 30th from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Some Dexter High School students are also selling “Ty” bracelets as a fund raiser for the ball field.
Individuals and organizations wanting to hold other fund raising events are encouraged to contact Larry Courson (Pastor) at Peace Lutheran Church [(734) 424-0899, larrycourson@peaceaa.net] so that the efforts can be coordinated. Those wishing to donate services, materials or labor are encouraged to do the same.
Donations to help build this new ball park in Tyler Steffey’s name may be sent to the Tyler Steffey Field, Peace Lutheran Church, 8260 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Checks may be made out to Tyler Steffey Memorial Fund or Peace Lutheran Church with “Tyler Steffey Field” in the memo line. The goal is to begin working on this new field as soon as possible. Thanks to the tremendous support given to the Steffey family in Tyler’s memory, the community may be able to create something good, lasting and meaningful to honor an outstanding young man.
