For the love of Pete

Broccoli instead of candy? No way. A book rather than television? Couldn’t be. Cleaning up a mess? Impossible.

But you never know.

Kolby Hall, 7, and her mother, Karlee Hall, had a surprise of their own for the Silverdale Pee Wee Adult Association.

The Central Kitsap youngster presented an engraved stone along with a red maple tree to members of the association earlier this month at the Ross Field clubhouse in Silverdale.

Both the stone and tree will go up at Ross Field in honor of Pete Ross, a man who is remembered by many for his dedication to youth sports and for going to bat for the kids, putting them first and himself second.

He died in 2008 at the age of 75.

“When I grow up and have a kid, I’m going to sit under the tree and tell (them) that Pete built the fields,” Kolby said.

Kolby bought the 12-foot tree with her own money, Hall said, and she plans to help plant it this spring.

Kolby, a third-year baseball player, lives next door to husband and wife Ron and Nadean Ross, Pete’s older brother and sister-in-law.

In October, she showed up to their doorstep with a note and told them her plan.

The note, decorated with a hand-drawn smiling sun and red stars around the border, was addressed to Ron, reading:

“I wanted you to know how much I loved to play baseball on the field, Pete made Your brother must have loved kids. I wished he could have seen my teem play. I wanted to make sure nobody ever forgets what he did for us. Kolby Hall.”

Pete Ross negotiated with the state to acquire the parcel of land where Ross Field is currently located, on Schold Road near Clear Creek Road.

Contact Central Kitsap Reporter Sports writer Wesley Remmer at sports@centralkitsapreporter.com or (360) 308-9161.

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