High School Athletic Complex Gets $100K Donation

A Bartlett-based international pasta company has donated $100,000 toward the Bartlett High School Activities Complex. The contribution from Giovanni Rana Meal Solutions, producer and distributor of refrigerated pasta, sauces and ready-made meals, concludes fundraising for the first phase of the $1.5 million project. "We are very grateful for the contribution as it has helped get close to finishing phase one of our project and offers momentum to continue our plans," Bartlett High School Booster Club Treasurer Ken Pavell said.

Construction of the first phase is now complete. It involved resurfacing the football field; installing new goal posts, permanent bleachers seating 1,500 people, a press box, stadium lighting and a high-definition scoreboard/sound system; and completing the infrastructure required to make the complex playable.

In the past 18 months, the booster club has raised roughly $925,000 through donations and fundraisers toward the project. Major donors include Bartlett-based food products distributor Greco and Sons Inc., and Cheese Merchants of America ($500,000 combined), the Bednarke family ($125,000), Hoffman Estates-based Plote Construction Inc. and the Plote family ($50,000), Bartlett's Bluff City Materials ($36,000), Benchmark Construction in Bartlett ($25,000), and Orange Crush LLC of Hillside ($20,000).

"Aug. 31 is the opening of the stadium for the first home game," Pavell said. "We will have a donor reception (dinner) that night to acknowledge these large donors." Club officials also are planning postgame fireworks.

Bartlett High School opened its doors in 1997 without an on-campus facility to host football, soccer, lacrosse and track competitions at the varsity level. The new athletic complex will serve the high school's football, soccer, lacrosse, marching band, cheerleading, dance and track and field teams and clubs and their events. The project largely is funded through donations secured by the booster club.

Elgin Area School District U-46 has committed to covering remaining costs by contributing roughly $600,000, including tax revenues and a $425,000 grant, which will be repaid by the booster club through future fundraising, Pavell said. Fundraising for phase two of the project has begun. It will involve building a new concession stand and locker rooms, and installing artificial turf to replace the grass field once nearly $1 million in funding is secured.

The field was resurfaced two summers ago when the high school football and soccer teams got together and laid the grass by hand, Pavell said. "We believe that having it open and allowing people to tour it will help us with donations in the future," he said.

For project updates, visit bhsactivitycomplex.com.

To donate or for more information, visit bhsactivitycomplex.com/donations, bhsboosters.org or contact [email protected]

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