The Walton-Verona school district needs over $300,000 to show what kids do after school hours.
The district built a 200 plus acre sports complex over a year ago. The complex off of state route 14 and I-71 in southern Boone County is large enough to host regional tournaments like track & field, softball and baseball. The one thing standing in the way is lighting.
When the district built the complex they were left with a choice; have lights on a grass football field or no lighting with a turf surface. They chose to go without light because field maintenance would be minimal and it could be used for more than one sport.
On August 21, the football team opened its second season at the complex and the school opened their hands for donations. The campaign is called "Light the Nights of Walton-Verona." They group tries to shed light on the need for lights.
School district superintendent Bill Boyle summed it up, "Everybody that sees this complex thinks, 'Well why don't you have lights?' It's very simple. We're out of money."
Boyle mentioned Walton-Verona's enrollment is up 15 percent in the past three years and nearly half of that is for the 2009-10 school year.
"All of our money is going towards teaching and learning and housing the student that we have here." said Boyle.
Obtaining lights for the complex would add revenue to the athletics programs according to Boyle. He explained football games would have more attendance if they could play at night.
"Friday nights really does bring more people out. [Because] Saturday afternoons, people have to cut the grass and they get just 'x' amount of time on the weekends. Friday nights is the thing to do around the state and the nation for that matter."
Boyle also expressed how light enabling teams to play at night would help prevent with athletes falling to heat-related illnesses. "Having lights would also enable us to practice after the sun goes down when it's much cooler; therefore, being safer for the athletes when the heat index is too hot."
People or businesses who want to donate or help can contact Bill Boyle at the Walton-Verona School District office.
