Barrington High stadium effort beginning to pay off

After just three months of raising money, it looks like Friends of the Stadium Club is well on its way to funding upgrades -- including synthetic turf -- to the new Barrington High School stadium.

Organizers of the club, which has been raising private donations for stadium enhancements, say they're more than halfway to their $800,000 goal.

"But it is still going to take a lot more bricks," said Jon Stickney, a club founder.

As one part of the fundraising, donors can purchase engraved bricks that will line the outside of the stadium.

Last April, voters agreed to spend $4.4 million to rebuild the stadium, which had a torn-up track, a dirt infield and stands that are old and not up to Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.

The new stadium will include an eight-lane track and a larger field surface for soccer and lacrosse play, Athletic Director Mike Obsuszt said. New bleachers will have 2,500 seats for home fans and 1,500 for the visitors.

To keep the cost to taxpayers down, the Barrington Area Unit District 220 school board decided some of the more elaborate items would need to be paid for with private donations.

Stickney said that spurred the formation of Friends of the Stadium, which was designed not only to drum up voter support for the stadium but also to raise money for upgrades if the measure passed.

After it did, the club set a goal of raising $800,000 to replace the sod with synthetic turf and add permanent restrooms and a nicer scoreboard.

The group started by looking for major donors, offering naming rights for the stadium's field, track and scoreboard.

Mary Kamps, another club founder, said all three of those naming rights have been secured and could be announced by the end of the year. All three are Barrington-area businesses, she said.

"It is truly going to be a community-supported facility," Kamps said.

Besides the major donors, the group also has been receiving help from booster clubs and youth sports organizations.

"It is a great product to sell," Stickney said. "It has pretty much sold itself."

That being said, Kamps said club members still are looking for more donors.

Along with the bricks, the group is selling engraved wall plaques to be placed in the stadium's concourse, as well as special Friends of the Stadium letter jackets, in exchange for different levels of donations.

"We are thrilled with the work they are doing," District 220 Superintendent Tom Leonard said. "These enhancements are really going to make it a special facility."

While the stadium will be located at the high school, Kamps said it will be able to be used by many community organizations.

"The potential for use in this community is huge," she said. "I am hoping everyone will embrace it."

By having the synthetic turf, restrooms and scoreboard, Stickney believes the stadium will be among the best in the area.

Synthetic turf will allow the surface to be used anytime without getting torn up, Stickney said.

Before formally adding the upgrades into the overall stadium plan, the school board had been waiting to see how the fundraising efforts are going.

Board President Brian Battle said he's confident the group will raise enough money so the enhancements can be added.

"Their fundraising efforts to date have been outstanding," Battle said.

A final decision on including the upgrades needs to be made by February. Battle said the demolition work on the current stadium is scheduled for later this month.

The goal is to have the new stadium done in time for the 2008 football season.

Helping raise stadium for Barrington High

The Friends of the Stadium Club is raising money for upgrades to the soon-to-be-built Barrington High School stadium, scheduled to open in the fall. Here are some ways to donate:

• Engraved brick paver: $250 to $500

• Engraved wall plaque: $2,500

• Friends of the Stadium Club leather jacket (includes engraved wall plaque and engraved brick paver): $5,000 to $10,000

For more information on how to donate, visit horseshoeclub.org.