Document text
1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Horseback hero back in spotlight ... Fire outside Jacksonville torches more than four acres, destroys outbuilding ... The Expo is running in the black, thanks to diversification ... Horseback hero back in spotlight ... Fire outside Jacksonville torches more than four acres, destroys outbuilding ... The Expo is running in the black, thanks to diversification ... EDUCATION Ashland $97K from turf goal District employs 'fundraising blitz' to hit mark before March 30 meeting Comment By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 24, 2016 at 5:29 PM By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 24, 2016 at 5:29 PM » Social News After a long series of fuzzy estimates and soft deadlines, Susan Bacon and her team of fundraisers now have a firm target at which to aim in order for the Ashland School District to finally move ahead with renovating the Ashland High School football field: Eight days and $97,000. That’s the plan according to a press release sent out Tuesday by Bacon, the Ashland Schools Foundation executive director who’s determined to have the entire $1.56 million price tag covered by the time the school board meets to discuss the progress of the field project Wednesday, March 30. The “hard and fast fundraising blitz” will include personal meetings, mailings and visits with targeted businesses as the district looks to put the finishing touches on a drive that kicked off March 24, 2015, when Ashland High alum and longtime major league pitcher Jeremy Guthrie committed $650,000 to the project. The hard part now, says Bacon, will be to quickly identify enough donors to close the gap in time. “I have high confidence we’ll get there, though,” she said. “We’re too close to fail.” The project, once completed, will include a 65-yard wide field with natural infill instead of crumb rubber, new stadium lights and raised bleachers on the visitors’ side. “With the many changes the project has endured and through a multitude of changing estimates, it’s nice to finally have some very specific numbers in front of us,” Bacon said. The district has chosen Hellas Construction to handle the renovation and, according to Bacon, an original estimate of $1.75 million was chopped significantly by, among other factors, “value engineering” and an in-kind subcontractor gift. Other large donations included a $100,000 gift from Lithia Motors and $25,000 from Sid and Bryan DeBoer. While most of the project will be funded by donations, the district will cover the replacement of the lights, as well as the costs of architectural work and permits. The district had originally planned to replace the grass with a more traditional synthetic turf stuffed with rubber infill, but support for a more expensive organic infill grew after the school board and Superintendent Jay Hummel looked into the risks of playing on a rubber field. “The more we learned about the natural fill, and all the advantages that it brings, and the relief of safety concerns, the more we felt it would be right for Ashland and our children,” Hummel said. Donations to Ashland’s turf project can be made through the Ashland Schools Foundation at www.ashlandschoolsfoundation.org/Page.asp?NavID=105 . Joe Zavala is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 541-821-0829 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @Joe_Zavala99. By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 24, 2016 at 5:29 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501