“It can also be used for practices, such a need in our community. Keeping the families involved in positive activities makes our area a better place to live and raise kids — gotta bring these kids home tired,” said volunteer Vera Karnofski.

CHINOOK — Chinook Field has undergone an extensive renovation to provide a new space for local kids to play and practice sports, led by a cast of community donors and volunteers.

On Saturday, April 13, a group of parents and grandparents gathered at the field, located next to the Historic Chinook School Event Center, to help spread red rock, a final step in the project that started last fall.

Field space for kids

The field is anticipated to be used for several youth sports, including baseball, softball and soccer.

“The field will be used for T-ball up to 12-and-under baseball, softball and youth soccer,” volunteer Vera Karnofski said.

“It can also be used for practices, [which is] such a need in our community. Keeping the families involved in positive activities makes our area a better place to live and raise kids — gotta bring these kids home tired.”

The field will bring about a much-needed play area for children in Chinook and the surrounding community, a project made possible by generous volunteers and local organizations.

“Our community kids are running out of fields to play on. A small group, with permission from Friends of Chinook and the Chinook port, are renovating Chinook Field. We’ve gotten donations from certain entities, but still need money for fencing, dugouts and bleachers,” Karnofski said.

“With all the suicides that have happened it’s even more important that we help kids and parents engage in positive family activities.”

‘Many hands made light work’

Over the past few months, the field has undergone a transformation.

“Work started in fall before all the heavy rains,” said Karnofski. Community organizations and individuals that have donated time and resources to bring the field into fruition include the Beach Barons Car Club for donating $1,200 for grass seed, and Tucker Glenn for donating the necessary fertilizer. Brad Wilson “rotovated” the field, and Rob Wirkkala cut back the brush while donating two truckloads of sand “to smooth out the edges.”

“Brad then drug the field, so Justin Rogers could spread seed and fertilizer,” Karnofski said. “This was all done just in time for the rains to sprout the seed.”

The field was recently able to host the Chinook School Easter egg hunt, the first event since the renovation.

“[It was] great to see kids out there again,” Karnofski said.

Other important contributors included the City of Long Beach, which donated the red rock, a mix of clay and limestone specifically used for baseball infields.

“This past weekend we got several community members to help spread the rock with Brad Wilson on the tractor and Herb Messing running the dump gator,” Karnofski said. “The rakers were Justin Rogers and his sons, Jacob and Joel; Joe Wilson and his son, Carson; Kevin Hughes, Jacob Binion and Jim Karnofski. Many hands made light work.”

Still, work remains, including the addition of fencing and dugouts.

“There’s still more to do, so we’re asking the community to help with donations. If we have enough funds we’d like to be able to build some storage at the ends of dugouts for equipment and field maintenance tools. So blessed to be in such a giving community. We’re looking into grants, but they’re never a sure thing,” Karnofski said.

Donations can be mailed to:

PO Box 243, Chinook, WA 98614.

(Please note that it is for the field renovation)