Build Our Ballpark

08/05/2023

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Our team starts the RAGBRAI ride each year with the intention of sending out daily and timely updates – and then the reality (and fatigue) of each day’s ride hits us. But we’re thrilled to give you this final report and recap of our efforts.

After surviving harrowing pre-tornado weather overnight, we hit the road on Friday (July 28th) very early (4 a.m.) as the forecast was for no cloud cover, wind in our faces, and temperatures of 95% across 81 mies and 3,000 vertical feet of climbing. The reports did not disappoint as we worked our way from Tama-Toledo through Chelsea, Belle Plaine, Marengo, Amana (home of the Iowa Amish community), and Oxford before ending the ride in Coralville (next to University of Iowa). By noon air temperatures had risen to 95 with a 15 mile wind right in our faces and road surface temperatures of 115 degrees. But the people of Iowa were a resilient and supportive as ever and both bikers and townspeople maintained their sense of humor.

On Saturday (the final day!), we rode 71 miles and 2,000 vertical feet to our final destination, riding from Iowa City (home of University of Iowa) through West Liberty, Muscatine and Buffalo before dipping our front tires in the beautiful waters of the Mississippi. The weather cooperated for our final leg of our journey giving us a chance to move through biker-filled towns and have lovely chats with children along the way

Before we wrapped up, one critical observation. Every youth group with whom we met was desperate for support. Local donations have been tight as the farming economy is rough. We starting riding this ride over 12 years ago and have never seen so many farmers with their pick-up trucks for sale on the side of the road. This is not typical, and yet it is indicative of why these communities need the support we seek to provide.

As we wrote last week, we were crazy enough undertake this journey and hope that you will support us in this cause and consider a donation to Build Our Ballpark. 100% of your dollars go directly into facilities for kids – and make a tremendous difference for these communities. We’re raising via a special Go Fund Me link: https://gofund.me/45620df1

A number of you have indicated you would rather write a check directly. Thank you! And the mailing address for Build Our Ballpark is:
Build Our Ballpark
3846 Trent Lane
Waterloo, Iowa 50701

From the backroads of Iowa, we hope you are having a terrific summer. Thank you – and as in past years, you’ll receive a couple of updates with pictures and commentary over the remainder of the week.

Thank you for your support!

The RAGBRAI Build Our Ballpark team

07/30/2023

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We left Ames very early on Wednesday morning, embarking on a two day segment which including an overnight in the state capital of Des Moines and stopping along the way through Slater, Madrid, Polk City and Ankeny - a relatively easy 54 miles and 1,300 vertical feet. After a music-filled evening hosted by the Des Moines Register (the “R” is RAGBRAI) we ran headlong into the toughest day – 90 miles and 5,000 vertical feet as we rode through Altoona, Mitchellville, Colfax, Newton, Kellogg and Grinnell before dragging into Tama-Toledo for the evening. The temperatures continued to climb, hitting the high 90’s on the road on Thursday which did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the riders or the townsfolk in communities we visited. We started the day early, riding through crisp and refreshing fog over the cornfields which helped speed us along.

As the heat kicked in more and more families whose homes we were passing by to set up sprinklers to cool down riders as they passed. Lemonade stands, watermelon and pickle venders and companies handing out free water bottles were everywhere as the people of Iowa turned out to support the effort. The heat notwithstanding, the number of riders swelled to an estimated 70,000 for the Ames to Des Moines segment as the Register encouraged day riders to set an unofficial world record for bike riders in one day.

The vagaries of life in small town American was present everywhere – some vibrant with new houses and other infrastructure (as a result of a new company bringing jobs) and others suffering with potholes, aging buildings and empty storefronts. And yet through it all the pride people felt in showing visitors their town was present throughout.

As we wrote this weekend, we’re crazy enough to be out here – will you support us in this cause and consider a donation to Build Our Ballpark. 100% of your dollars go directly into facilities for kids – and make a tremendous difference for these communities. We’re raising via a special Go Fund Me link: https://gofund.me/45620df1
A number of you have indicated you would rather write a check directly. Thank you! And the mailing address for Build Our Ballpark is:

Build Our Ballpark
3846 Trent Lane
Waterloo, Iowa 50701

From the backroads of Iowa, we hope you are having a terrific summer. Thank you – and as in past years, you’ll receive a couple of updates with pictures and commentary over the remainder of the week.

Thank you for your support!

The RAGBRAI Build Our Ballpark team

07/28/2023

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Monday and Tuesday the Build Our Ballpark riding team worked its way from Storm Lake to Ames – a two-day total of 145 miles and 3,500 vertical feet. Along the way we passed through Early, Lake View, Breda, Mt. Carmel, stayed overnight in Carroll, and then continued through Glidden, Jefferson, Rippey and Luther before working our way into Ames (home of Iowa State University). The distances have been growing longer and longer and the temperatures increasing with each day. The corn and soybean fields (all around us) are showing signs of stress from a lack of water. All of this is made up for by the enthusiasm of the communities.

Like us (raising funds to rebuild youth baseball parks), most communities had charitable activities – a new library, protecting a historic church, or raising funds to support various youth, religious or civic activities. The special cultures of the communities came out across the state – from the Amish family selling home made pies (delicious!), to the towns decorated in a Dr. Suess these (complete with costumes and scenery). We even connected with two communities seeking to rebuild their own youth baseball facilities, including one that set up their own “Field of Dreams” photo opportunity. Their fields are in desperate need of assistance and enthusiasm for baseball is suffering in their community as a result.

As we wrote this weekend, we’re crazy enough to be out here – will you support us in this cause and consider a donation to Build Our Ballpark. 100% of your dollars go directly into facilities for kids – and make a tremendous difference for these communities. We’re raising via a special Go Fund Me link: https://gofund.me/45620df1

A number of you have indicated you would rather write a check directly. Thank you! And the mailing address for Build Our Ballpark is:
Build Our Ballpark
3846 Trent Lane
Waterloo, Iowa 50701

From the backroads of Iowa, we hope you are having a terrific summer. Thank you – and as in past years, you’ll receive a couple of updates with pictures and commentary over the remainder of the week.

Thank you for your support!

The RAGBRAI Build Our Ballpark team

07/22/2023

We're riding the annual RAGBRAI ride to help raise funds to benefit Build … Bob Hellman needs your support for Help us bring back youth baseball and softball

07/22/2023

Dear Friends and Supporters,

After a one year hiatus we are at it again, riding the annual RAGBRAI bike ride across the State of Iowa to raise funds for Build Our Ballpark – our Waterloo, Iowa-based charity which builds youth baseball parks for needy communities in the Midwest. To date Build Our Ballpark has helped build 59 new youth baseball and softball facilities, re-energizing the game of baseball in many of these communities and making a difference in the lives of thousands of children.

RAGBRAI is an annual bicycle ride across the State of Iowa - this year 7 days and 500 miles during this last week of July. That’s right – they forgot to turn on the air conditioning! So what are we doing on a bike? Nearly 15 years ago my son, Robert, developed the Build Our Ballpark RAGBRAI Bike Team with the idea that if we were crazy enough to endure these miles and this heat for something in which we truly believed (i.e. bringing baseball and softball back into these communities), that our friends ‘might support us’? And we keep coming back for more!

And so here’s the pitch: We’re crazy enough to be out here – will you support us in this cause and consider a donation to Build Our Ballpark. 100% of your dollars go directly into facilities for kids – and make a tremendous difference for these communities. We’re raising via a special Go Fund Me link - both here https://gofund.me/45620df1 and copied below.

From the backroads of Iowa, we hope you are having a terrific summer. Thank you – and as in past years, you’ll receive a couple of updates with pictures and commentary over the remainder of the week.

The RAGBRAI Build Our Ballpark team

We're riding the annual RAGBRAI ride to help raise funds to benefit Build … Bob Hellman needs your support for Help us bring back youth baseball and softball