POTTSTOWN >> Just days after it became clear that a matching donor had pulled out of a pledge for the campaign to replace the lights at Grigg Memorial Field, the effort received a $15,000 boost.
At Monday’s Pottstown School Board meeting, the Foundation for Pottstown Education presented a $10,000 check received from the Frances Chapin Philanthropic Fund specifically for the Save the Lights campaign.
Moments later, the Federation of Pottstown Teachers presented another over-sized check for an additional $5,000.
“Who do I hug?” board member Polly Weand asked with a laugh.
She said the foundation donation was somewhat expected, perhaps because it was listed on the agenda, but the donation from the teachers union came as a complete surprise.
Within minutes, the amount that needs to be raised to erect new poles and lights at the stadium dropped from $126,565 to $111,565.
The estimated cost – and goal of the two-year-old capital campaign is $300,000 – to put up new lights at the stadium, most frequently used for Friday night football games.
“I was working the football game the other day and it was kind of dreary and I was really missing the lights,” said Beth Yoder, high school art teacher and president of the Federation of Pottstown Teachers.
“We hope this helps move the district forward and brings the community back to the Friday night football games,” she said.
Since the lights were taken down and the structurally inadequate wooden poles cut in half, the Trojans have had to play all their home games on for the last two seasons on Saturday afternoons, which has reduced attendance at the games, as well as the money raised by volunteer groups that run snack bars at the games.
“We are getting closer and closer,” said Weand. “There are hundreds and hundreds of people who are waiting for those lights to shine down again in Grigg Stadium.”
She added, “This has been a long, interesting campaign, but it has put Pottstown on the map as a community that works together.”
The school board at the time decided that budget struggles being what they are, education funding should not be spent on replacing the lights and instead, it should come from the community.
It has been a tough road.The first event planned to raise funds – a 1950s-style sock hop – did not attract a single participant.
Since then, more successful efforts have included the selling of T-shirts and yard signs, as well as students and teachers making $1 donations to relax uniform and dress requirements for “casual Fridays.”
The effort has also benefitted from several large donations – including $10,000 from Gerry Lenfest and another $10,000 anonymous donation.
Weand said the campaign has also made an application to the National Football League for a $50,000 grant.
