Volunteers erect dugouts at Jensen Fields

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, May 3, 2023

ENTERPRISE — As school softball and baseball in Wallowa Valley wind down for the year, the teams here have gotten the luxury of playing on fields with new dugouts, thanks to donations of time and materials from the community.

In early April, volunteers from Viridian Construction of Enterprise gave their time for three days to erect home and visitors’ dugouts at Jensen Fields.

The project was completed in time for a game April 7.

The visitor dugout was 8 feet by 30 feet and the home dugout was 24 feet by 30 feet. The home dugout is larger to accommodate new storage space for several different levels of baseball organizations.

Dustin Larison, construction superintendent from Viridian, said he and Jim Nave of the Wallowa Valley Athletic Network have been working on the details of the project for a couple of months.

Viridian, as a company, pays employees to do three volunteer days a year. Taking advantage of the opportunity were Larison, Dustin Rushton, Chase Nebel, Tanner Marshall, Robert Phillips, Nick Cummings, Logan Loennig, Erin Pace, Jenna Smith, Thomas Hill and Garret Susa.

Larison said he and Nave have known each other for years and their sons play ball together.

“It was kind of natural for him to call me,” he said. “My son has played ball his whole life here and I have always tried to help where I can. I have seen all the boys grow into great young men and it gives me a sense of self-worth to be able to give back to the boys who have kept me entertained for countless hours for many years. It is a great feeling that our community and the team I am part of is able to give to our kids and many kids to come to a place and facility that we are all proud of.”