Plans Announced to Honor Hall of Famer Jim Rice
Rice, an Anderson native and former player for the Boston Red Sox, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in July as part of the 2009 class.
Thursday, September 3, will be "Jim Rice Night" at the Greenville Drive Game at Fluor Field. Rice will be honored before the game and throw out the first pitch. The Westside High School Color Guard and the TL Hanna High School Drum Line will appear along with the Anderson YMCA Little League Red Sox. Festivities start at 6:15 p.m., and the game starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5-$8 and available by calling the Drive box office at 864-240-4528. Special "Drive for Anderson" packages that include a souvenir T-shirt and a donation to Anderson Interfaith Ministries are available to groups and individuals by calling Ashleigh Cox of the Drive at 864-240-4504.
Friday, September 4, the Celebration Committee will host a Scholarship Golf Tournament recognizing Jim Rice at Cobb's Glen Country Club in Anderson. Entry fee is $60 per person and $240 per team, including greens fee, cart, lunch and two mulligans. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. with a shot gun start at noon. Golfers may pay a premium fee of $100 to be entered in a drawing to play in the foursome with Mr. Rice. Proceeds go to benefit the Baseball/Softball Scholarship Fund for Children at the Anderson Recreation Center. Please contact Willis Lee at 864-231-2299 or Cobb Oxford at 864-958-2013 by September 1 to register.
On Friday night, Mr. Rice will appear at the Belton-Honea Path/Westside High School football game at the Westside stadium at 7:30. He will be honored before the game and perform the coin toss.
Hospitality Dollars at Work
Maybe you've noticed some changes in a few of our parks recently. New playground equipment has been installed in the following city parks: Bea Thompson Park, Darwin Wright Park, Greeley Park, and Watson Park. These park improvements are part of the updated Recreation Master Plan and are made possible through the use of Hospitality Funds.
By law, Hospitality Funds can be used to pay in whole or in part for current and future public park facilities; for capital expenditures to promote quality of life, tourism, recreation, cultural and historic structures, and to provide infrastructure and promotion to and for these projects. Significantly, the Hospitality Fund allows for visitors to our City to contribute to the cost of capital infrastructure such as these park improvements.
These types of improvements do more than just help our neighborhoods. They also help encourage a more vibrant business environment ensuring future progress for all of us.
Recreation Hall of Fame
The City of Anderson Parks and Recreation Department held a banquet recently for the first inductees into the Hall of Fame. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognize those individuals who have brought distinction, honor, and excellence to the department. Coaches, officials, athletes, administrators, and other volunteers may be nominated for induction.
2008 Inductees (from left)Basketball Clinic
The Recreation Department recently hosted a free youth basketball clinic that was conducted by Coach Jason Taylor and his Anderson University men's basketball team. The 32 players that participated received some valuable instruction in the fundamentals of the game. Coach Taylor and his team broke things down to a level that the younger kids could understand and build on. We would like to thank the Anderson University team for giving their time and talent to the youth of our community.
Thanks to AU Athletes
The City of Anderson Parks and Recreation Department would like to thank the Anderson University Men's Basketball team for helping spruce up Greely Park.
Best Place to have a Picnic
Cater's Lake was voted "Best Place to have a Picnic" by the readers of the Anderson Independent-Mail who participated in the "2007 Anderson Independent-Mail Best of the Be Readers' Choice Awards."
Cater's Lake is seven acres on Greenville Street. This passive park area is one of our most noted parks within the City of Anderson. The focal point of this site is a large pond in which the City has installed a lighted aeration fountain. There are picnic tables at this facility and a limited walking trail. Cater's Lake is home to many fine feathered ducks and geese who have become accustomed to the many trips by families and individuals to feed them each day. Although this park is located on a busy thoroughfare within the city, it has a quite neighborhood feeling that attracts many patrons during their lunch hours and picnics with the kids.