By JILL SCHRAMM, Staff Writer
jschramm@ndweb.com

The Minot Sertoma Club dedicated its North Hill softball complex to former city recreation director Keith White Monday.

About 80 people attended the ceremony to honor White and unveil new lettering on the Complex sign.

White said he respected the people, such as Duane Carlson or Herb Parker, who were his former teachers, advisers and friends and who now have their names on facilities in Minot.

“I never dreamt something like this could happen to me,” he said.

But putting White’s name on the Complex seemed fitting as speakers talked about the influence White had in making the facility a reality in the early 1980s.

“These kinds of things don’t happen often,” Mayor Curt Zimbelman said of the building of the complex. “They are a project, and someone has to get behind it. In this case, Keith White got behind this project.”

White solicited a $100,000 donation for the complex, which became known as the Sertoma Sports Complex. He raised a similar amount on top of that to complete the needed funding, said Zimbelman, who called White the “spark plug” who made the project happen.

Dean Somerville, president of the Minot Recreation Commission, noted the economic impact and quality of life that have been added to the community because of the complex.

White managed the complex in serving as the city’s recreation director. He had previously served as assistant director, completing 38 years with the city before retiring this past January.

Somerville said White’s skills in communication, organization and fundraising were assets in developing a quality recreation program in Minot. White brought the national softball tournament to the city for the first time in 1986. Minot has hosted 10 other national tournaments. He also started a T-ball program.

White, a member of Sertoma, said he was “humbled and honored.” He added that he had a lot of help along the way, taking time to thank his club, staff, city officials and others.

Printed with permission of Minot Daily News