A rendering of the after-school tutoring education center for Ligue 42 players.
Courtesy
The League 42 Foundation, which operates a popular youth baseball league in Wichita, has reached more than half of its fundraising goal of $ 6 million, it said in a press release on Friday.
The “Kids First Campaign” raised over $ 3.6 million, including a $ 400,000 grant from a non-profit organization in Tulsa, to build a youth education center, a fourth baseball field at McAdams Park and renovations to the three existing fields.
The centerpiece of the project is the Education Center, which is expected to be 10,500 square feet and would be used for after-school tutoring for League 42 players. It will include a 23-station computer lab, an area of indoor baseball practice, a community center and the organization’s very first office space.
“We are proud to announce that we will be building the Leslie Rudd Education Center,” Bob Lutz, founder of League 42 and former Eagle columnist, said in the statement. “The Rudd Foundation’s $ 1 million leadership gift will help the children of Wichita for decades to come. We are proud to honor Leslie, who supported the Wichita community for decades during her lifetime.
Rudd, who died in 2018, was a local entrepreneur and philanthropist who owned, among other things, Standard Beverage. A year before his death, Rudd established the Rudd Scholars Program, which offers full college scholarships, as well as academic and life mentorship, to Pell-eligible Kansas natives attending Wichita State, State of Fort Hays or the State of Emporia. More than 100 Kansas high school graduates have benefited from the program in four years.
According to the statement, companies such as Cargill, Fidelity Bank, Intrust Bank, Spirit AeroSystems, Lattner Family Foundation, Meyer Charitable Trust and David Murfin have helped the League 42 Foundation reach the $ 3.6 million mark.
For more information on how to donate to the League 42 Foundation and the Kids First campaign, those interested are encouraged to contact Lutz at 316-655-1028 or by email at league42wichita@gmail.com.
“When we started League 42 eight years ago, it was with a specific mission to use a team sport – baseball – to help kids ages 5 to 14,” Lutz said in a statement. . “It’s more than baseball. Children learn the values of commitment, teamwork, fair play and personal responsibility. They build character and a dynamic spirit. These are the skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.
This story was originally published September 24, 2021 5:08 pm.
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