American Legion Post 35 thanks Wasilla Lowe's employees for donation

WASILLA—American Legion Post 35 presented a plaque to the Wasilla Lowe’s crew Wednesday, thanking them for investing $2,500 dollars and about 14 hours of labor dedicated to improving McManus Field in Wasilla, which was vandalized during the summer. This was Lowe’s Heroes project for 2018 and the ceremony took place at their store, in front of the paint section.

“Let’s play ball,” Jim Pisa, national vice commander for American Legion and longtime member of Post 35 said after the ceremony.

McManus Field, part of the Bumpus Recreation Area, is maintained by Post 35. In May, vandals performed a variety of misdeeds to the field which included spraying explicit material with spray paint across home plate, the third base line, and dugout; damaging the door to the storage shed, rendering it inoperable; tossing gear used by American Legion players across the field that was ultimately ruined in the rain; stealing various field equipment and cutting the team’s riding lawnmower.

The door of the storage shed, which was locked with a deadbolt, was ripped out, and the frame was damaged. Gear used by the American Legion players was spread across the field and left in the rain. At least three buckets full of baseballs were all over the field, and are now soaked with water and ruined. Field equipment was stolen. The ignition was cut on the team’s riding lawn mower, which the team uses to maintain the field.

Wasilla Lowe’s assistant store manager Joe Salcedo saw this mishap as an opportunity to not only repair the damage but to improve the already worn down field, making it better than before the incident.

“They had such a dilapidated area. They were literally unable to use the field,” Salcedo said.

Salcedo is a Navy Veteran, putting in over 30 years of service. He is also a longtime member of the American Legion so when he was immediately on board when one of his coworkers suggested the Legion’s ballfield plight as a 2018 Lowe’s Heroes project.

“It’s a nice ballfield and now they can go and use it again,” Salcedo said.

Salcedo oversaw the project, utilizing about 30 Lowe’s managers and employees as volunteers, aided about 10 helpers from Post 35.

“You’re a team, they break you down and put you back together,” Pisa said while discussing the sense of comradery military members often share with each other.

Pisa volunteers wanted to repair and improve the field.

“It doesn’t take that much money. Labor is the expensive part. Could you imagine if we hired a contractor for that?” Salcedo said with a laugh.

Salcedo said that the best part is the military is there from the beginning and stays with you long after you hang up your uniform, with “all the people you meet.”

“The armed forces is like a melting pot,” Salcedo said.

Salcedo noted that improving the ballfield will positively impact the whole community, saying that many people of all ages will enjoy the fruits of their combined labor.

Dalmar Johnson, Post Adjutant for American Legion Post 35 shared Salcedo and Pisa’s sentiments on the brother and sisterhood, the comradery between members of the military, both active and retired.

“Everybody has to count on each other,” Johnson said, recalling his days of service.

Salcedo said that he is excited to wear one of the camouflage vests soon to be available to veteran Lowe’s employees. He also marveled at the ease veterans have after registering for their 10 percent discount, which is linked to their phone numbers so the discount automatically comes off after punching it in.