MEMBERS of the Perkins Field Committee stand in the new bleachers at the facility in Brookside last week. From left, are, Ryan Kreiter, Paula Cash Scherich, Pat McConnaughy and Bob Weaver.

As many of you already know, I am not a graduate of Bridgeport Exempted Village School District. However, if there ever was a time I wish I were, and it is the present.

Sticking with the true spirit of the holidays, especially Thanksgiving, alumni from BHS stepped up in a big way recently.

When a group of alumni found out the school district was going to be a little short on what it had budgeted for the renovation project at Perkins Field, it formed a fundraising committee — the Perkins Field Committee — to help cover the difference so that varsity football could return to playing at the Brookside facility next fall after four years of not due to flooding concerns.

Flyers were mailed to all alumni on November 4 and within 8 days, all 15 rows priced at $1,500 each were completely sold out. All 10 wheelchair spots were reserved within three days of being posted, and, according to reports, all 44 of the rows have been accounted for.

The total revenue to be generated when all the pledges have been tallied is $55,000.

WOW!!!

All BHS alumni should be proud to wear the Columbia Blue and Black on a job well done.

“We didn’t set a specific financial goal because we know our alumni and our community and we believed they would respond to helping return to Perkins Field,” Pat McConnaughy, a member of the fundraising committee.

“We also didn’t create a marketing plan because we also knew a fundraising effort with a simple goal of getting the kids and community back to the field would be all the motivation needed,” he added.

The work on installing the new aluminum bleachers is nearly complete.

McConnaughy said the next step is creating a donor wall for those who contributed to the project.

One row was dedicated in the honor of Irene Ehni and the Bridgeport Teachers Association purchased five rows. A portion of the wheelchair section is in memory of the Porter Boys.

Non-alumni donations were received from Eric McGee (Wheeling Central) and Emily Rine (Linsly).

Superintendent of schools Brent Ripley said the support the alumni have shown is endless and much appreciated.

“We are very grateful to the alumni in our goal to return football to Perkins Field,” he said. “They have done a wonderful job.”

If everything goes as planned, the Bulldogs will host Monroe Central on Friday, Aug. 27.