Manlius, NY -- Fayetteville-Manlius school district residents working to raise money for new artificial turf at the high school have received $750,000 in pledges, nearly half of what the group hopes to raise. The F-M Community Sports Facility Association, which organized earlier this spring, has commitments from about 30 private donors so far, organizers said. The group wants to raise...
Manlius, NY -- Fayetteville-Manlius school district residents working to raise money for new artificial turf at the high school have received $750,000 in pledges, nearly half of what the group hopes to raise.
The F-M Community Sports Facility Association, which organized earlier this spring, has commitments from about 30 private donors so far, organizers said. The group wants to raise $1.8 million to install the turf, resurface the track and make minor improvements.
The group wants to have the new field ready for use by September 2011.
F-M Field of Dreams
What: The F-M Community Sports Facility Association will explain its campaign to raise $1.8 million for an artificial turf field at the high school.
When: 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Fayetteville-Manlius High School, main field, 8201 East Seneca Turnpike, Manlius.
Activities: Free sports clinics, games, a bouncy house, crafts, food, raffle and silent auction.
After quietly collecting pledges for the past several months, the group is ready to go public with its fundraising campaign. The “FM Field of Dreams,” a communitywide kick-off event, will be 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the high school’s main field. The group will make a presentation at the event to explain its campaign, and a variety of free sports clinics and games will be conducted by F-M varsity coaches and players.
There also will be a bouncy house, games and crafts for younger children, along with food, a raffle and a silent auction.
If the group raises more than its initial goal, members would also build a new sports stadium. Since that would require $3.2 million, the group decided to focus its effort on installing turf as the “most viable and achievable option,” said Rebecca Pulver, a group member.
That way the existing infrastructure can be used, which includes the lights, bleachers and scoreboard. The money raised includes a $100,000 reserve fund to be used toward turf replacement costs in 10 to 15 years.
The association has put together a video highlighting the need for artificial turf at the high school, featuring F-M student-athletes speaking about the difficulty of playing on wet, muddy grass fields.
“There is a strong contingent of local citizens who care deeply about this project, and we want to tap into that to help get this project realized,” said Brian Sischo, another group member.
Group members say the turf can be used by all the scholastic sports teams, along with youth sports, high school physical education classes and the community. The field would host 450 to 500 events annually.
The existing field and facility at F-M is 47 years old, and group members say it’s an embarrassment compared to what’s available at nearby schools.
F-M school district voters have twice rejected sports stadium and turf proposals, and Pulver said her group realizes taxpayers don’t want to subsidize the project. However, many people who feel passionately about the project want to contribute, she said.
Since the core group of about 15 people organized, five gatherings have been hosted by local residents to gauge interest and support. “The feedback has been very reassuring,” Sischo said. “We feel confident we’ll reach our target.”
The F-M Board of Education would have to approve the gift of either the funds or the turf, but the group doesn’t see that as an obstacle. It plans to make a presentation to the board in July, and if approved, begin construction in May 2011.
Contact Elizabeth Doran at edoran@syracuse.com or 470-3012.