Green Bay Packers Foundation donates $100,000 to South Milwaukee School District athletic fields improvements
The South Milwaukee School District's efforts to improve its athletic fields received a generous boost from the Green Bay Packers Foundation in the form of a $100,000 impact grant.
The Green Bay Packers Foundation donated the funds to help the district finish renovating its football field, track, baseball and softball fields, a South Milwaukee School District news release said.
South Milwaukee Middle and High School Athletics and Activities Director Ante Udovicic said "it was wonderful" to receive news about the foundation's grant.
"When you have the iconic franchise of all franchises in your space supporting you, it just gives an extra boost to everybody that's involved in the project," Udovicic said in a June 29 interview.
The Green Bay Packers Foundation's gift to South Milwaukee is part of $1.5 million in impact grants the foundation is giving to eight Brown, Dane and Milwaukee county nonprofit organizations, the news release said.
The Packers Foundation's Impact Program, which began in 2013, is "directing significant funds toward organizations that serve their communities each day," according to The Packers Foundation's news release about the impact grants.
Work began in April on the athletic field improvements "and is nearly a month ahead of schedule," the district's news release said.
"The centerpiece, the football field is nearly completed. Asphalt has been poured for the track and field facilities with the new, modern track surface to come later this summer," the district's release said. "The baseball field excavation is underway, as is the leveling of the outfield, with work on the softball field to start in the fall."
The Bucyrus Foundation started the project by donating $1 million to renovate Spaltholz Field and convert the field to artificial turf, which the district said was a starting point to then include the track, baseball and softball facilities in the $3.8 million project. The Packers Foundation $100,000 Impact Grant will be added to Bucyrus' $1 million grant. The Launching A Legacy Campaign, which is a committee of community volunteers that receives support from South Milwaukee School District administration, recently sent a check to the district for $250,000, the district's news release said. The campaign has a goal of raising $1.4 million.
With donations and pledges, The Launching A Legacy Campaign has raised about $550,000, including The Packers Foundation Grant, said The Launching A Legacy Campaign treasurer Mary Dess.
"We're still really working at trying to raise enough money and for the Packers to step up and do that, it just sends a great message I think to our community. Hopefully it'll just help keep rejuvenating the juices that are positively flowing for the football, baseball and softball fields. It's very exciting to see all of that come about," said John Galewski, a co-chair of The Launching A Legacy Campaign, in an interview.
Work on the fields is being done due to the existing natural grass fields for football, baseball and softball suffering from poor drainage and poor soil conditions, along with wear and tear from years of regular use, which limits use of the fields.
The new football field will have "striking colors" along with an environmentally safe pad and infill to "ensure the safety" of the soil and waterways, along with improved drainage to mitigate flood damage. The track will be resurfaced and modernized and the pole vault area will be moved back to the field from its current location in the parking lot. The field will also have a new scoreboard and a wall of fame honoring past athletes. In addition, soccer will be able to play at the stadium, poms and cheer will be able to perform there, graduation ceremonies can be held outside and marching band competitions can take place there. The upper softball diamond will have artificial turf field installed and the baseball field, Galewski Field, will have artificial infield turf installed, according to the Launching A Legacy website.
In addition, The Launching A Legacy Campaign is seeking donors for naming opportunities at all fields, as well as through the $1,000+ Club. Members who donate receive a club gold card etched with their name on it and lifetime entry to any South Milwaukee regular season home sporting event, as well as their name displayed at the athletics facility complex. Gifts can be made as a memorial or honorarium as well. To donate or ask for naming opportunities, contact the campaign at Launchalegacy@gmail.com.
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Packers Foundation donates $100,000 for athletic field improvements
