Two Millard, Neb. high schools are reaching out to boosters and donors to get the aid of a Salem, Ore.-based nonprofit that would help fund the cost of artificial turf for their fields.
The Omaha World-Herald reported today that the nonprofit, the Community Sports Development Council (CSDC), has been involved with a number of development projects for sports facilities and parks. It also uses the same material used in artificial turf in the locality of Millard North and Millard West High Schools, which are both trying to get turf fields.
The agreement with CSDC calls for $350,000, and the schools got a big initial boost when they received $50,000 from the Millard Public Schools Foundation, which is contingent on the two schools raising the rest of the money. All donations would go through an account set up with the nonprofit Mustang Booster Club, which will make them tax deductible. The cost of the project for each school would be more than $1 million, though CSDC has agreed to cover $700,000 of that. The deadline to raise the money is April 13.
Chad Zimmerman, assistant principal and athletic director at Millard North, told The Omaha World-Herald that he is optimistic they will meet their fundraising goal. His school has already received interest from potential donors: A baseball group has pledged a "substantial" amount of money, while a donor with ties to a football program is willing to match all donations.
The help from CSDC was needed because a $140.8 million bond issue was rejected by the city last November. One in four residents who voted against it did so because they were opposed to turf fields, according to The Omaha World-Herald. The bond issue, which was voted down 57 to 43 percent, would have funded school repairs, classroom additions, and technology and security upgrades in addition to the turf field, which accounted for 2 percent of the bond.
You can read the full story in The Omaha World-Herald.
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