Sean C. Morgan
Sweet Home Junior High School is installing a scoreboard on its upper football field this week, thanks to the donations of about 30 people in the community.
“Wendi Melcher started this project last year,” said Athletic Director Dave Goetz. “She was a parent of a football player.”
For years, the Junior High team didn’t play on the Junior High School field, Goetz said, but space is getting limited. The Junior High team can’t use Husky Field once the weather starts turning rainy, and with all of the soccer programs, other field space is often unavailable.
“She thought it was a good idea to put a scoreboard up here not only for the Junior High to play their games but also the Boys and Girls Club,” Goetz said. Melcher sent out letters to community members seeking funds to purchase the new scoreboard.
No district funds were used to purchase or install the scoreboard, Goetz said, although the district did provide some maintenance time on the project, running conduit and wiring.
Jones Well Drilling donated two 8-inch by 20-foot water pipes to mount the scoreboard, and Pacific Power allowed employee Kelly Marvin to use a truck and donate time to dig post holes.
“With this project, now when the weather turns and we’re off the district fields and Husky Field, we have a place to play,” Goetz said, and the Boys and Girls Club has another option.
The project cost approximately $5,000.
“It’s a tribute to the people in Sweet Home who are so giving to the kids that attend school here,” Goetz said. “Many thanks to Wendi. We wouldn’t be where we are now if Wendi wouldn’t have done this.”
Donating to the project were Pat and Ival McCollum, Jean and Melvin Miner, George and Shannon Virtue, Rice Logging, Dave and Linda Holley,
Chuck and Shauna McIntyre, Karla Hogan, Sherri Gregory, Mike and Glenda Melcher, Tom Hyer, Bob and Betty Weidner, Joel and Nancy Keesecker, Abby Virtue, Sherman and Leslie Weld, Wayne and Jeane Thorpe,
Ron Stutzman, Dina Whitfield, Skip and Michell Marler, Dan and Michelle Tow, Les Schwab Tire Center, Brandy and Roseanne James, George and Sharon Virtue, Eric and Ginger Plebuch, Scott and Wendi Melcher and Jimmy Hagle.