Some quick action, creativity and a lot of generosity have saved a Colorado high school’s football season.
After months of fundraising and pleading for grants, Branson High School was able to install a new turf field and save its season. The school’s previous field was in such bad condition that many schools boycotted games at Branson last season.
“I think I have wounds on my body from pinching myself...this isn’t even possible.” Branson superintendent Brad Caldwell told the local CBS affiliate.
As the season approached, Branson residents realized that the school would likely have to relocate its home games. The community got creative and produced a video to promote the new field. The athletic department did its part and drummed up support.
In the end, Branson’s “C.L.A.W. Project” raised $552,000 from around 4,000 separate donors, and the football field was installed over the summer with new goalposts, scoreboard, and more to come.
The Branson/Kim Bearcats opened their field on Sept. 11, defeating Deer Trail 72-14 in front of a crowd that CBS reports was three times the size of the town. The community celebrated the new field on opening day with a dinner and a concert on the new surface.
“It’s probably been one of the biggest days of my life,” Branson sophomore Brock Doherty said, a sixth-generation resident of the town. “This morning I woke up and I was like...wow. It’s really happening. It’s just awesome to see it all come together.”
