{"id":61214,"date":"2022-11-04T09:47:20","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T14:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/?post_type=newsroom&#038;p=61214"},"modified":"2024-09-12T09:41:29","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T14:41:29","slug":"riegel-baseball-park-mebb-community-grant-university-park","status":"publish","type":"newsroom","link":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/newsroom\/people-culture\/riegel-baseball-park-mebb-community-grant-university-park\/","title":{"rendered":"A Reimagined Baseball Field Comes to Life in Greater Chicago Community with H&#038;R Block Make Every Block Better Community Grant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>For the third consecutive year, <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/\"><em>H&amp;R Block<\/em><\/a><em> and <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/nextdoor.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Nextdoor<\/em><\/a><em> are partnering to Make Every Block Better in communities across the United States. The partnership brings to life community-nominated projects that improve the spaces and places where neighbors connect.<\/em> <em>The initiative invites changemakers to submit local projects for grant funding and volunteer support. Communities from around the country nominated projects that uplift and improve their communities and give neighbors a better chance to connect with one another.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Make Every Block Better | Riegel Farm Baseball Field in University Park, Illinois | H&amp;R Block\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZDLapT4c4qA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Riegel Farm Field is a treasured historical landmark in the University Park, Illinois, community. Recognizable by the more than 100-year-old barn it sits next to, the space was once a neighborhood hub that teemed with local children and families playing baseball, neighbors having cookouts, and many other community activities.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00064.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61220\" width=\"256\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00064.jpg 7952w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00064-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00064-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00064-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00064-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00064-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The park has a \u201cdeep-rooted history that goes back to when the village first started,\u201d said Village of University Park Board of Trustee member Theo Brooks. But, to the disappointment of long-time residents and new neighbors alike, Riegel Farm has fallen into disrepair in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Donna Dilworth, a local volunteer and resident, envisioned Riegel Farm Field transformed into a \u201cfield of dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe used to have a lot of different programs at the park,\u201d Dilworth said. \u201cIt&#8217;s nostalgic for a lot of the people in the community.&#8221; Inspired by personal memories and a vision of what the fields could become again, Dilworth created a plan to bring new life to Riegel Farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She eagerly submitted her project to uplift the vacant and untended baseball field to the <a href=\"https:\/\/hrbnextdoor.com\/\">Make Every Block Better<\/a> initiative. She and community members were overjoyed when they learned the Riegel Farm Field\u2019s rehabilitation was among just 11 projects selected from submissions across the country for inclusion in the 2022 cohort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cultivating-a-diamond-within-the-community\">Cultivating a \u201cDiamond\u201d Within the Community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After receiving the Make Every Block Better grant, dozens of area residents, H&amp;R Block volunteers, and Nextdoor team members joined forces to jumpstart the field\u2019s refresh. The team trimmed overgrown grass, repainted metal fencing and a storage shed and replaced the pitching mound and home plate area. A professional company renovated the field, creating a durable new infield.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00004.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61218\" width=\"256\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00004.jpg 7952w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00004-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00004-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00004-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00004-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20220507_Block_00004-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re making sure that the baseball park is used and that the kids have a place to go,\u201d emphasized Dilworth. \u201cThis project is that new beginning. I would like to see the same memories I had almost 20 years ago returned to someone else&#8217;s kids here at Riegel Farm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With helping hands and hard work from dozens of volunteers, the Riegel Farm Field was restored to its former glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am very excited about how my community has come together to support the project,\u201d remarked University Park Village Board of Trustee member Sonia Jenkins-Bell. \u201cH&amp;R Block and Nextdoor helped us revitalize something that is a precious jewel in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to the recent Riegel Farm Field enhancements, more community members are exploring the space and expressing enthusiasm for the possibilities of the entire area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSince the field has been open for play, we now see parents practicing with their youth and residents participating in clean-ups,\u201d observed Dilworth. \u201cIt feels great to know that H&amp;R Block and Nextdoor are helping University Park be the community that we want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/HR-Block-Logo-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"The green H&amp;R Block square with dark grey &quot;H&amp;R Block&quot; text to the right\" class=\"wp-image-60842\" width=\"256\" height=\"144\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/HR-Block-Logo-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/HR-Block-Logo-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/HR-Block-Logo-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/HR-Block-Logo-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/HR-Block-Logo-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/HR-Block-Logo-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the third consecutive year, H&amp;R Block and Nextdoor are partnering to Make Every Block Better in communities across the United States. The partnership brings to life community-nominated projects that improve the spaces and places where neighbors connect. The initiative invites changemakers to submit local projects for grant funding and volunteer support. Communities from around [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":406,"featured_media":61216,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tags":[19308],"news-categories":[23336],"class_list":["post-61214","newsroom","type-newsroom","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-make-every-block-better","news-categories-people-culture"],"acf":{"post_rest_thumbnail_alt_id":""},"yoast_head":"<title>Chicago Community Baseball Field Comes to Life with Grant | H&amp;R Block Newsroom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"University Park&#039;s community project one of 11 chosen from submissions nationwide to improve the spaces and places where neighbors connect.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/newsroom\/people-culture\/riegel-baseball-park-mebb-community-grant-university-park\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" 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