Published: May 16, 2008 11:12 pm      

Alliant Energy Field will go peanut-free on Monday

CLINTON — Alliant Energy Field and the Clinton LumberKings will be holding a peanut-free baseball game Monday at 7 p.m., so that peanut-allergic fans can enjoy the great American pastime without fear of a reaction.

According to Christy Campie, an organizer of the event, no peanuts or peanut-containing products will be served during the game, and the stadium will be washed down to avoid the risk of cross-contamination.

“It’s just going to be a night for people who are allergic to come and not have to worry about the peanuts being all around,” said Campie, whose 7-year-old son, Eric, has a life-threatening peanut allergy. “People don’t realize how severe an allergy can be. They don’t understand that just being around peanuts might cause a problem for somebody who’s allergic.”

Campie noted that her son is passionate about baseball and does attend LumberKings games, although he is unable to consume most of the foods served there, and has to be very cautious of where he sits.

“We have to sit far away from anybody (who is eating peanuts,)” Campie said. “It’ll be a whole lot nicer to know he can go and sit wherever he wants, and not have to worry about it.”

According to Campie, Ted Tornow, general manager for the LumberKings, was inspired to hold the event after attending a recent convention where the idea was discussed.

Tornow recalled that Campie and her co-workers had requested a peanut-free area for a party at the stadium last year, and contacted her to see if she was interested in helping to organize a stadium-wide event.

“This is important to them,” Campie said. “They are really involved in the community.”

The first known Minor League peanut-free night was held last summer at the home of the Kane County Cougars in Geneva, Ill., at the request of a father who hoped his young peanut-allergic son could attend his first complete Minor League game. According to a release from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, 5-year-old Ethan Leiter-Weintraub, of Western Springs, Ill., is an ardent baseball fan, but was forced to leave the only Major League game he ever attended due to a reaction to peanut dust floating in the air.

Campie stated she hopes the peanut-free event will raise awareness in the community of just how dangerous a food allergy can be.

“It’s a good idea to make people aware, just so they might have a little bit more compassion and understanding when it comes to the people around them,” Campie said. “I don’t think a lot of people know what can really happen to somebody who is severely allergic. It’s not just itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose. It can really be something a lot worse really quickly.”

Campie noted that most people suffering from peanut allergies are in danger of suffering from anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction that takes place throughout the entire body, and can cause respiratory distress, a drop in blood pressure, and even death.

Campie encourages anyone with a food allergy of any kind to attend the event, noting that informational pamphlets on food allergies and carriers for epinephrine auto-injectors will be given away, as well as coupons for peanut-free and gluten-free foods. She added the event is being sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods and Peanut Free Planet, two companies that specialize in manufacturing foods free of all the top eight major food allergens. She also encourages parents of children with peanut-allergic friends to attend the event to learn more about the allergy and discover alternative food options. Samples will be given out of peanut-free cookies, trail mixes and candy bars, which are among the most common peanut-containing products.

“I want the community to know that there are a lot of people out there with a peanut allergy,” Campie said. “I don’t want every place to be peanut-free, but every once in a while it would be nice to be able to go to the ballgame and not have to worry about it.”

Gates will open for the event at 5:30, and more information on peanut and other food allergies can be found at www.foodallergy.org.