FARMINGTON – Ledge has been blasted to prepare the grounds at Mt. Blue Middle School for repair and reconstruction of the athletic fields. Before winter, a parent-led group wants to have the fields leveled and seeded.
Now, school athletes are stepping in to help out with the fund raising. Throughout October, students will be selling chances in a “drawing-a-day” that will be held in November, said Shelley Deane, a parent organizer.
The chances cost $10 each and give the buyer 30 chances to win a daily prize of between $5 to $100 during November, Deane said.
“The students are eager to do their part to make the field improvements a reality,” Deane said. “They are quite anxious to get back to playing on their fields.
Deane and a fellow parent, Tim Thompson, are organizing the fund-raising campaign.
So far, more than $26,000 has been raised from businesses, school construction funds and private donations, Deane said. That doesn’t include Farmington contractor Kevin Vining’s donation of labor and equipment, she said.
It’s estimated it will take about $85,000 to make the fields for soccer, field hockey, softball and baseball.
Last spring, baseball and softballs teams were bused to Wilton for practice and home games.
In an effort to improve this situation, some business people, parents and school staff initiated the plan to raise money to repair and reconstruct the fields.
In the process, more space will be used to bring the fields closer to regulation size.
Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible donation toward rehabilitation of the athletic fields may contact Deane at 779-9248 or Thompson at 779-9276.
Contributions may be sent to: Mt. Blue Athletic Field Fund, in care of Franklin Savings Bank, Attention: Shelley Deane, P.O. Box 825, Farmington, ME 04938.
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