Cardinals Care dedicates field in Sesser | News

SESSER, IL (KFVS)- Cardinals Care invested $250,000 in a new ball field in Sesser.

And people there say as a result, more and more kids in town are playing ball.

"I wish we had a field like this when I was a kid," says Sesser league president John Launius.

The field is complete with a new scoreboard and a new name: Lance Berkman Field.

"I think when our kids go to other towns they really appreciate how nice of a place this is," Launius said.

The field is the first built by Cardinals Care in southern Illinois to benefit the Redbird Rookie program, which helps kids ages 5-9 in Sesser.

Along with the field, Cardinals Care also donates equipment.

"As any parent with a kid playing sports knows, costs can be prohibitive," Launius said. "The Cardinals have given us thousands of dollars in equipment."

And while the Cardinals encourage learning the game of baseball, they also encourage learning in the classroom.

"They have to read 15 books to get a home run," said Redbird Rookie coordinator Audra Bates. "If they do that, they get school supplies for the next year and get to go to a Cardinals game."

Members of the Cardinal organization dedicated the field on Tuesday.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.