Reds Community Fund celebrates opening of newest field

A newly renovated baseball and softball field over two years in the making was officially opened for play in Augusta, Kentucky, on April 16.

The Reds Community Fund and St. Elizabeth Healthcare partnered with the City of Augusta and the Augusta Independent School District for a synthetic turf renovation of Augusta Distillery Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park, located along the banks of the Ohio River about 45 minutes southeast of Great American Ball Park.

The first phase of the project consisted of reconstructing the field for use by the youth of Augusta and Bracken County. Phase two will include the addition of home and visitor’s dugouts, fan seating and bleachers, shelter areas and an indoor training facility for Augusta Independent athletics.

Executive Director of the Reds Community Fund Charley Frank emceed a ceremony in front of more than 200 residents followed by an evening doubleheader featuring Augusta Panthers varsity baseball vs. Mason County and Augusta Lady Panthers varsity softball vs. Bracken County. Speakers included: Reds President and COO Phil Castellini; St. Elizabeth Healthcare President and CEO Garren Colvin; Augusta council member Peggy Kelsch; Augusta Independent Schools Superintendent Lisa McCane; Augusta Independent Educational Foundation President Debbie Mihalik; Augusta Distillery Regional Sales Director Matt Groves; Augusta Co-Head Coach and project lead Craig Miller.

“This is a perfect opening day for this new field and it’s great to see the partnership, community and collaboration that made this all happen,” Castellini said. “The importance of these synthetic fields to keep fields playable and keep these kids playing baseball and softball is one of the biggest challenges we have. The work St. Elizabeth is doing with us all over Northern Kentucky to add the synthetic infields is so important to our programming and to keep high school and youth baseball and softball playing year-round.”

In addition to underwriting expenses for 21 Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana high schools, St. Elizabeth teams up with the Reds every other year for a field renovation. The first Reds and Northern Kentucky collaboration was St. Elizabeth Healthcare Field at Bellevue Vets in 2019 followed by Lemker Field in Ludlow in 2022. The project in Augusta was the first of its kind to take place outside of the Greater Cincinnati area and illustrated the true meaning of the term Reds Country.

“It’s great to be able to invest in a community that’s maybe not in our backyard, but close enough to be big Reds fans,” Colvin said. “It’s good for all the towns we do this in, good for the youth. It’s an uplift for everybody. I just love being a part of it, I love that our board allows us to invest in these communities. I’m so thankful that the Reds are a partner. As long as I’m CEO, we’ll be doing these ballfields.”

The journey to this day began with two phone calls from Augusta Independent Athletic Director Jason Hinson: one to Ludlow Independent (recipient of a renovation in 2022) asking how they managed to build their state-of-the-art ballfield, and the other to Frank to inquire about how Augusta could do something similar.

The ball started rolling from there, and Augusta Independent officials brought local government officials, community leaders, business owners and civil groups together for a meeting with Frank and St. Elizabeth Manager of Community Relations Cary Graham. The meeting solidified that the location formerly known as Allen Field would be the next project site.

“The path to be standing here at the Augusta Distillery Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park was not easy and at some points felt unattainable,” McCane said. “But that meeting with Charley and Cary was when they recognized what we locals already know: Augusta is a special place. As citizens, we understand how performing civic duties positively impacts and benefits the community. And not only did citizens come together to build this remarkable field, but they demonstrated the power and lasting impact civic contributions have on a community.”

This project was a community effort in every sense of the phrase. In addition to the Reds and St. Elizabeth, one of the premier sponsors is Augusta Distillery, which has committed roughly $100,000 to local initiatives since its founding in 2018. The distillery is in the final stretch of its new facility being completed just a quarter mile down the road from the ballfield.

Other major contributors included First National Bank of Brookville, Miller Lumber Co., Carota’s Pizzeria and the Bank of Maysville. They were joined by dozens of other local businesses eager to help from day one.

And prior to the field dedication, Augusta held a community day of action that saw dozens of volunteers help put the finishing touches on the city’s newest attraction.

For Augusta Independent Principal and Co-Head Baseball Coach Robin Kelsch, who coached his first game at Augusta 30 years ago, the amazing transformation of Augusta Distillery Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park could be summed up in one word.

“Unbelievable. Growing up here, taking part in sports and community events here, I never thought this was possible and it’s just a dream come true,” he said. “But one thing about Augusta, I’ve not known anything that the community of Augusta hasn’t gotten behind when the kids and the schools are involved. Fast forward to April 16, 2024, and here we are today. I’m excited to be a part of this and so grateful and thankful for the Reds Community, St. Elizabeth and all the local people that have contributed to make a once-in-a-lifetime event come true.”