The capital campaign has begun to further fund renovations of Rogers Stadium and the outdoor track and field facilities at Bellefonte Area High School.
Robert Lumley-Sapanski, board vice president of Bellefonte Area School District and chairman of Bellefonte Capital Campaign, spoke of the challenges ahead for those involved with the $6 million project. The BASD Board of Directors has joined with the district to support the renovation of Rogers Stadium and the outdoor track and field facilities.
“We have received a $3 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Pennsylvania Tourism,” said Lumley-Sapanski. “We are striving to raise the other $3 million from tax deductible commitments.”
State Sen. Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, and State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, are honorary chairs for this campaign.
The rest of the campaign committee include Dr. Michelle Saylor, superintendent; Kenneth G. Bean, Jr., CMA director of fiscal affairs; Eric Funk, network administrator; Keith Hamilton, J.C. Ehrlich Co., past school board member; Mike and Peg Herbstritt, founding members of Jeremy Herbritt Foundation; Kay Kustanbauter, Penn State University (retired); Seth Miller, senior customer account specialist, First Energy Corporation; track and field head coach Harold “Skip” Reichert, vice president, Reliance Bank.
The BASD School Board members are Jon Guizar, president; Lumley-Sapanski, vice-president; Kristen Bruckner; Kimberly Hearn; Lorraine Mulfinger; Rodney Musser; Robert Pacella; and Jeff Steiner.
Bellefonte has a history of strong community pride. The new facility will benefit more than just Bellefonte sports teams. The hope is that it will be a true community resource — a place to hold commencement ceremonies and other school events, as well as a place to hold community organizations’ activities.
Lumley-Sapanski said, “Some of the improvements in the Capital Campaign plan include an eight-lane track and dedicated areas for field events. The field area will be of turf, resulting in less postponed practices and games and fewer scheduling conflicts. This will allow the district to host home track and field meets for the first time in over 25 years.
The area will be used for soccer and lacrosse matches as well as football games and track and field events.
Some people have asked why they should give to this campaign after they already pay taxes. The answer, according to the Capitol Campaign committee, is that the project is designed to ease the burden on both the district and ultimately, the taxpayers. Others want to know why the new plans have the bleachers located all on one side of the field. Again according to the committee, the reason for that has to do with location of a water line and allowing space for the eight-lane track and allowing ADA parking to be near the bleachers.
Commitments to the campaign can be made in the following ways:
• A one-time gift or a pledge payable over five years, beginning with an installment payment made within three months of the commitment.
• Gift and payments on pledges are payable by check or money order to BASD.
• Payments on pledges can be made on an annual, bi-annual, quarterly or monthly basis.
The Capital Campaign statements also list the other features of the improvement project, which will not only benefit sports, but will have community impact. Other organizations and groups will be able to utilize the renovated and newly created spaces. Here are the other areas to be included as part of the Capital Campaign:
• New locker rooms are planned as well as higher capacity restrooms.
• Sound system and technology infrastructure. The new facility will feature a new sound system and fiber cables running to the press box, allowing video capabilities for recording practices and games and other events.
• Lower long-term cost. Rogers Stadium will only continue to deteriorate without major repairs. Investing now will cost less in the long term.
• Turf — a maximum use material that has been shown in some studies to cause fewer injuries and doesn’t need fertilizer or pesticides.
the already on board for this project include the Herbstritt family, who gave $125,000 in memory of Jeremy Herbstritt; Reliance Bank, which gave $125,000 in honor of Navy Lieutenant Jonas Panik; and Dave Schaub, who gave $10,000. One million dollars is needed for the stadium and $2 million for the practice fields. One hundred percent of all donations to the campaign will be allocated to this project. For further information contact BASD.
