Student representatives from Greencastle-Antrim High School band, cheerleaders, and athletic teams helped break ground in Kaley Field Tuesday, signaling the official beginning of renovation work. (By Roxanne Miller, Staff Writer) |
Greencastle-Antrim High School student representatives from band, cheerleading and each sport grabbed a shovel and symbolically dug their spades into the dirt of Kaley Field on Tuesday.
The act officially marks the beginning of the construction project, and gets the ball rolling on the $2.5 million capital campaign to fund a series of improvements to the high school's stadium complex.
The upgrades include two turf fields, a resurfaced track and lighting improvements.
Vernon McCauley, one of the nine-member capital campaign steering committee members, announced the groundbreaking ceremony from the press box as if it were a football game.
"This project ... will not only benefit our students and athletic teams alike, but will also restore Kaley Field as a centerpiece of our very proud community emblematic of the great man for whom this field is named," he said.
Kaley Field is named in honor of Fred C. Kaley, a former teacher, coach, athletic director and principal in the Greencastle-Antrim School District.
Franklin County Commissioners Robert Ziobrowski and Bob Thomas, administrators, school board members and members of Greencastle borough council and Antrim Township Supervisors were among the guests in attendance for the ceremony.
The name of the capital campaign was unveiled during the groundbreaking by members of the capital campaign steering committee.
"Now one of the best kept and most anticipated secrets in all of Greencastle — the unveiling of our capital campaign name and logo," McCauley said.
Then, the committee members held a banner with the name of the capital campaign: G-AMAAX (Greencastle-Antrim Maximizing Arts And Athletic X-cellence).
McCauley said G-AMAAX was formed to conduct a capital campaign to maximize arts and athletic excellence within the Greencastle-Antrim School district while strengthening community pride.
Greencastle fifth-graders Olivia Singer and Lyza Martin were recognized for holding the first fundraiser for the capital campaign, which raised $421.21.
Lyza's father, Dean Martin of Sunnyway Foods Store in Greencastle, Pa., said he was so inspired by his daughter and Olivia that he wanted to do something for the capital campaign.
So, he called McCauley and donated $10,000 to the capital campaign.
"He's throwing out a challenge, and the clock starts now. During the next 90 days, if there are nine other people and/or businesses in our community willing to match his $10,000 contribution Sunnyway Food Market will add another $40,000 to their donations," McCauley said.
"The bottom line is we've been in this community as a family business for 56 years, and I thought, 'wow, what a perfect opportunity to give back to the community,'" Martin said. "I feel this an important campaign besides I went to high school here, and my kids are going to school here. This is not just the high school's — it's part of the community."
Also John Flannery of the John Allison Public House restaurant will give 10 percent of his proceeds from Sunday evenings to the capital campaign — beginning this Sunday.
"I'm really excited about the capital campaign. I know the conditions for field hockey weren't good, football wasn't good and this year we weren't able to have any home meets for track and that was disappointing," track and field student representative Ashton Rockwell said.
G-AMAAX committee member Andrea McCauley said the track, two fields and lighting will be complete by the start of the next school year.
Other committee members are James Farley, chairman; Vernon McCauley, assistant chairman; Fred Bubeck, treasurer; Kristy Faulkner, assistant treasurer; Brenda Blair, secretary; Linda Farley, assistant secretary; Andrea McCauley, public relations; Melinda Cordell, director; and Dave Spencer, director.
