Drury to dedicate rec field after $140K in improvements

Drury University is scheduled to to hold a dedication ceremony today for its Paul Sunderland Recreation Field after the completion of $140,000 in improvements.

During the past two months, workers added LED lighting, bleachers, a scoreboard, signage and soccer goals. According to a news release, the field was in need of improvements after the roughly $12 million O’Reilly Family Event Center was built in 2010 on the site of the school’s intramural field.

The project’s improvements are funded, in part, by a $65,000 donation from the Sunderland Foundation, which gives naming rights as the Paul Sunderland Recreation Field. The Drury Student Government Association also voted to allocate $50,000 to the project. Drury spokesman Mike Brothers said the remainder of the cost came from fundraising.

“The Sunderland Foundation looks forward to seeing many Drury students enjoying their time on this field and adding to their overall educational experience at this fine university,” said Kent Sunderland, president of the Overland Park, Kan.-based Sunderland Foundation and Paul Sunderland’s grandson, in the release.

Paul Sunderland, who worked professionally as an officer of Overland Park-based Ash Grove Cement Co., served on Drury's board of trustees 1952-83. He died in 2004 at age 107.

The ceremony is scheduled 3:30 p.m. at the field, located on Benton Avenue between Clara Thompson Hall and Sunderland Hall.