Name of Community: Henderson Population: 986
Name of Project: Heartland Community Schools Track and Football Field Project
Name of Contact Person: Kelsey Bergen
Day Phone: (402) 723-4228 Eve Phone: (402) 723-5478 Email: hchamber@mainstaycomm.net
Category: Community Development
Subcategory: Parks, Recreation, and Environmental Awareness
Date Project Started (mo./yr.) 05/2009 Dated Completed: 09/2009
Is the Project Annual/Ongoing: Ongoing
Volunteer Hours: 500 Number of Volunteers: 50
1) Brief Description of the Project
The Heartland Community Schools’ Track was deteriorating to the point that the track needed to be resurfaced or completely reinstalled. The track had already been resurfaced a number of times, since it was originally installed, but the same problems kept surfacing due to a lack of a solid foundation beneath the track, so resurfacing the track would likely lead to the same problems down the road. While the obvious solution was to reinstall the track to prevent the same problems in the future, this type of project came with a large price tag that the school district was not able to afford. Several individuals in the community felt so strongly about the need for a new track that they wanted to help raise the funds need to install a new track. The Heartland Board of Education had calculated that the project would cost $400,000, which they would not be able to fund on their own. With the help of a large number of volunteers and monetary donations, the track was reinstalled with a better soil base and several other projects involving the football field were tackled. While construction was happening on the trackit made sense to crown the football field (since it didn’t drain water very well) and install an underground sprinkler system on the football field to help maintain the turf. Before school dismissed for the summer, work began on the track/football field in hopes that it would be ready in time for the fall football season a few months away. Due to the hard work of many volunteers from the community of Henderson and the surrounding area, the project was finished in time for the first home football game.
While this project primarily impacted the Heartland Community School students participating in the football and track, the new track/football field also serves the greater Henderson Community. During the fall, many community members attend home football games at this field to support the youth of our community. In this way the field serves as a source of entertainment and socialization for the community when they come together to support the local football team. During track season, Heartland Community Schools hosts several track meets bringing people into town from many different towns. Outside of highschool athletics, the track is used for elementary field day in the spring and many community members also use the track for physical activity throughout the year by either walking or jogging on the track.
2) Identify the planning and implementation of the project
a) Describe the methods used to plan and implement the project
The planning and implementation of this project was primarily organized by the Heartland Board of Education. Since the project included replacing the existing track and improving the football field, the total cost of this project was estimated to be over $400,000. The Heartland Board of Education had already budgeted money for the project, but not enough to cover the total sum. As a result Athletic Director, Larry Vancura, and local physician, Dr. James Ohrt, headed up a fundraising effort to raise at least $100,000 to help complete the project.
b) Describe how the project relates to the community’s overall goals
One of the main goals of the community of Henderson is to attract and retain young families and residents in our community. One way to keep young adults engaged in the community is to give them a place to become involved such as the school system. Having adequate facilities for students to participate in athletic activities is a high priority for students and families. By making these improvements to the track and football field, it shows potential residents that this community is interested in our future generations and is committed to offer our students the best education and athletic experience in the best facilities we can offer.
c) Describe how the project was identified as a priority for the community
This project originated when Alan Janzen, a local businessman with children in the school system, and Larry Vancura, Heartland Athletic Director, viewed a similar project at Superior High School. Due to the condition of the track there was an obvious need for the new track and with the equipment Alan could provide for removal of the old track and soil preparation for the new track, much of the work could be done by volunteers. Once the ball was rolling Dr. James Ohrt approached Larry Vancura about assisting with fundraising for the project , and with the approval of the Heartland school board, the group proceeded to seek funding for the project.
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| Alan Janzen volunteered his time and equipment to level the track and surrounding area. |
3) Describe volunteer involvement in planning and implementing the project.
a) Describe how responsibilities were delegated among volunteers.
Many volunteers were organized to help with this project. Volunteers were either contacted by school staff based on either skill, knowledge and equipment, or volunteers came forward if they knew they could help with the project. Some projects completed by volunteers were larger than others but each was important to the success of the project. Vancura and Ohrt were volunteers who came forward offering to raise money in order to complete the project. Other volunteers came forward to do projects as big as leveling work and as little as mowing the newly laid sod with a push mower. Other volunteers who knew how to install underground sprinklers were contacted and asked to volunteer their knowledge and service.
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| Randy Ratzlaff volunteered his insight to underground sprinkler installation. |
Volunteers were contacted in person, by phone calls, invitations in the local newspaper, the Henderson Community Foundation fall mailing, Heartland Community Schools website and the Heartland Community Schools monthly newsletter.
4) Identify Project Outcomes.
a) What did the community intend to change as a result of the project?
The community wanted to increase community support of the school, increase physical activity in the community and show support for the youth of the community as a result of this project. By raising funds for this project through businesses, families and school supports the community was able to come together and support the local school system. It is easy for parents and grandparents to support their individual child or grandchild, but this project encouraged them to look at the big picture and create a track and football field that could be used for future generations and impact many youth from this and surrounding communities. The community also intended to encourage increased community physical activity through this project. Many community members use the track on a daily basis as part of their personal fitness routine. Whether they are walking or running, the track now has an even clean surface to use. The community also intended to show support for youth activities through this project. It is important to show this generation of youth that they are important and supported. Participating in an extra curricular activity is a great way to keep students involved and out of trouble. By supporting this project, citizens were showing our youth that they are important to this community.
b) Describe community wide support of the project
Support for this project was a community-wide effort from the monetary and voluntary standpoints. Monetary Support for the project was shown from grandparents, parents, businesses and the general community. To date there have been 53 donors for this project with new donors still coming forward to help with additional costs covered by Heartland Community Schools. Financial support for this project had an even greater significance considering the state of the economy during this project. In many places projects such as this would have been cut, but instead the community of Henderson came together to make sure the project was completed. Community support was also shown through the donation of time spent volunteering to complete this project. There was a large age range of volunteers with varying levels of construction experience who were willing to help any way they could to complete the project. With over 50 people volunteering to help with this project, it is obvious that there was wide support for this project from the community.
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| Volunteers installing underground sprinklers. |
c) Describe how the final project impacted the community, including measurable data (Measurable data includes both qualitative and quantitative information).
The community of Henderson and Heartland Community Schools saw the impact of this project in the amount of time it took the community to complete the project. With such a drive to complete the project in time for the football season, everyone worked hard to accomplish that goal. Holding home football games at Heartland Community Schools is important not only to bring residents to the games to support the local team, but to impact the school financially through the concession stand and admission receipts. Luckily the project was completed in a timely manor, and no home games were missed. The final project also impacted the community by making the track an adequate facility to host conference and district track meets, which bring more people to the community each spring and create more revenue through the concession stand and money spent at local businesses.
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| Heartland football team taking the field for the first game on the newly crowned football field. |
a) Monetary (grants, fund-raising, bonds, etc.)
The entire cost of the project was about $500,000. From that amount, $150,000 were donated to support costs of the project and an additional $100,000 was saved due to in-kind labor and equipment usage.
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| Larry Vancura and Dr. James Ohrt receive a donation from Jim Mestl and Corbin Tessman of Cornerstone Bank. |
b) Material and supplies (purchases and donated)
Much of the material and supplies used for the project were purchased at a discounted rate. The major items included the underground sprinkler equipment and fly ash. Supplies that were donated for use included: four skid loaders, backhoes, trucks and farm equipment.
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| Removing sod from the football field. |
c) Labor (volunteer, in-kind, and paid services)
Most of the labor for this project was volunteer or in-kind. This included: Demolition of the old high jump pad and track, base preparation for the new track, installation of underground sprinklers and drainage, crowning the football field, landscaping, removal of sod, hauling sod, and mowing new sod.
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| Volunteers installing the underground sprinklers on the football field. |
6)Future Plans
a) How will the community build upon or follow-up with this project in the future?
Heartland Community Schools will be the driving force in building upon the football and track programs into the future and maintaining the new facility. They currently have a very successful track program in which several students from the Heartland team qualify for the State Track Meet and place in the event each year. They will continue to promote physical activity and adult socialization in the community through the track and football field, which will improve the quality of life in Henderson and the surrounding area.
b) What has the community learned from this project that can be applied to future development efforts?
The completion of the Heartland Track and Football field improvements has taught the community that major projects can be accomplished with the help of the community. This makes it possible to take on these projects in the future. It has also taught the community to invest in projects that support the youth in our community. If we invest in them and show them support now, they will be more likely to consider Henderson as a place to move back to and raise their family someday.
7) Please describe what aspects (if any) of the project were especially unique or creative?
This project was unique due to the size of our community. Not many communities with less than 1,000 people can support a project of this magnitude during economic hard times. Usually people don’t make donation to a public school because it already receives money from residents through taxes; but the community of Henderson did not let that stop them from supporting an important project. This project was also unique because people of all ages were willing to volunteer any way they could to make this project possible.
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| Fourteen volunteers helped to push mow the field after the new sod was laid, since a riding mower was too heavy for the new grass. |
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