When Austin High School softball coach Steve Knox showed up to umpire Sunday’s fundraising softball game pitting Austin Police against Austin Fire Department, you knew it was serious.

When the fire department’s Brian Lovik stepped up to the batter’s box wearing an ipod in the first inning, then perhaps it wasn’t so serious.

“Come on Pink Floyd,” Troy Tigner yelled from the third base coaching box.

Serious or not, the bottom line was that Sunday’s game at the Todd Park’s south fields was for a good cause.

Both sides are attempting to raise money for the purchase of trees with the purpose of replacing both those blown down in Todd Park and on private properties last month because of the tornado that clipped Austin.

The softball game is just one part of a larger effort to meet a goal of $3,000 to purchase those trees according to organizer, Austin Police Officer Mark Walski.

“A third of the trees will go to Todd Park and two-thirds will got to people’s houses,” Walski said. “Hopefully we go way past that in donations.”

People could come to Sunday’s game and put down on a list their requests and what kind of tree.

The effort will continue through the month of July and through August with another event planned in August in cooperation with Hy-Vee.

This is the second time in three years the two departments have held the fundraiser. The last time was two years ago when money raised was donated to the Mower County Care Council.

The idea originated from Walski’s own past when his dad, who was also a police officer, was part of a similar concept in Winona.

“When I was a kid, my dad was a police officer in Winona,” Walski said. “As a kid, it was fun to play on the cars and fire trucks, and that’s kind of how this started.”

The raising of money for the trees, almost seemed natural.

“The trees I think, are probably not a big priority for some people after this (tornado),” Walski explained. “But people want them. It’s a way for us to take some of the relief effort off some people.”

Of course it doesn’t hurt police and fire department relations either.

“I think it’s a great time for officers and the fire department and to have that competitive edge,” Walski said. “At the same time, we help out people. It’s still nice to give back to the community.”