Champion Field in Sartell has received significant upgrades in the past two years, based on a partnership between the City of Sartell and the Sartell Baseball Association. This partnership has resulted in major improvements to the retaining wall  infrastructure,  additional mortarless retaining walls for structural and landscaping purposes, installation of pavers around the retaining wall and to the road for a wide walking and viewing area and for handicap access to the field, a new storage building, and a new backstop fence.

The Stone Poneys have figured large in these improvements, both from the standpoint of volunteer labor and financial contributions. The Poneys performed all or the majority of volunteer labor for the following:

     * the mortarless retaining wall beyond the first base dugout

     * the mortarless retaining wall above the poured wall

     * ground preparation and subsurface class 5 installation for all paver surfaces

     * the installation of pavers from the first base dugout to the corner, and the handicap access to the field

     * all paver cutting and all corner joinery on all paver surfaces

     * the backstop fence

     * the metal roof on both dugouts

This is only a partial list of the volunteer labor performed by the Poneys. Others have contributed volunteer labor to the project as well, but no team or group has come close to the level of volunteer labor of the Poneys and their families.

The Poneys and their families have to date also contributed more money toward the Champion Field project than any other person, group or team.  The contributions have included the majority of architectural fees,  design work with the architect, contractor and subcontractors, and the largest individual contribution received to date. These contributions have helped bring Champion Field to its current condition.

More work needs to be done, and more fundraising as well, but the Poneys should be proud of their contibutions to this wonderful  ballpark. In the future, when older Poneys return to watch games, they can enjoy the same "ownership" that the founders of the field have had for more than three decades.