The Denair Lions Club has made many important contributions to the community over the decades. Quite a few of its high-profile projects have benefited the Denair Unified School District, the latest one being the installation of a new scoreboard at the high school baseball field earlier this year.
The updated scoreboard – which sits behind the fence in left-center field — was a big hit with Denair’s players and fans this past season. It’s much bigger than the old one it replaced and shows each team’s score by innings in addition to overall hits, runs and errors. It also has a decorative truss with a big baseball framed with the words “Denair Coyotes” that was fabricated by the Lions Club.
On the back of the scoreboard is a sign that says “Welcome to Ron W. Cornell Baseball Park,” which honors the man who coached the Coyotes from 1972 to 2009.
The Lions Club spent more than $12,000 on materials and labor for the project, with the Denair High Boosters Club contributing $5,000.
Installation was completed in one day. Past Lions President and current board member Jeremy Rowell led the project, with assistance from some of his employees at Acme Electric in Turlock as well as other Lions Club members.
“We were approached by the school district last year to see if we could help,” Rowell said. “We were happy to do it.”
Anthony Armas, the high school’s athletic director, said the ongoing support of the Lions Club “is huge.”
“The Denair Lions Club has always contributed to our community in a big way,” he said. “They’ve contributed to so many things in our athletic department throughout the years that it’s hard to keep count. From stadium renovations to scoreboards to barbecues and everything in between — their support is crucial to not only our high school, but to the community as a whole.”
Rowell appreciates the kind words from Armas and other school officials, students and longtime Denair boosters, but said that’s not what inspires the 35 or so Lions members.
“We don’t like a ton of recognition,” he said. “We just try to help the community.”
The Lions are not yet done at Ron Cornell Field, Rowell said. They are looking to upgrade the irrigation system for all the baseball fields at the high school.
In July, they will hold an event to raise more money for ongoing renovations at the Denair Gaslight Theater, where they already have made more than $120,000 worth of upgrades through the years.
