Nonprofit Athletic Club Donates $10K to Upgrade Softball Field

BY DEAN LEE EVANS

Correspondent

Donegal school board members happily - and without hesitation - accepted a $10,000 gift from the Donegal Athletic Club at the school board's Sept. 12 board meeting.

"Let us know when you want us to cut you a check," athletic club president Scott Madara said.

Madara said the $10,000 was an "initial pledge" toward improvements to the district's softball field.

He promised additional funds when the district determines the final costs to improve the field.

The Donegal Athletic Club was formed in 2008 as a nonprofit organization aimed at improving the district's athletic facilities.

Board president Oliver Overlander III said "time is of the essence to partner with DAC."

He said he recently received a flier advertising that the Elizabethtown Area Education Foundation is soliciting funds to raise $500,000 toward athletic improvements in that school district.

Donegal borders the Elizabethtown Area School District.

Overlander said he was aware of two families from the Hershey area involved in field hockey who plan to move to Donegal because "it's a smaller school district and had better athletic programs."

One of the Donegal Athletic Club's stated goals is to see turf fields installed in the district.

Overlander, a supporter of turf fields, said college fields tend to be turf fields.

He said he recently read an article that tied successful college sports programs and its athletes to school districts that have turf fields.

Superintendent Susan Ursprung asked Madara to "please pass our thanks to the club."

In related matter, business manager Amy Swartz outlined a timeline for proposed athletic improvements.

She said facility and design committees should be in place by the end of the month to begin working with DAC, architects, district athletic leaders and the administration on proposed goals and designs for improved athletic facilities.

"It's important (for the committee members) to know their roles and responsibilities," she said.

As part of that goal to improve athletic facilities, the board also approved a contract with the architectural firm of Crabtree Rohrbaugh Associates to prepare designs for field and stadium improvements.

The contract was based on an hourly rate not to exceed a total fee of $35,000.

Swartz said the timeline proposes to have committee members present its initial report to the school board on Nov. 14.

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