- $100,000 could be earned through Aviva Community Fund -
by Sylene Argent
Through the Aviva Community Fund, Essex District High School has a chance to earn $100,000, which would be enough to replace the grandstands that no longer exist adjacent to the sports field and track area.
In 2016, two years after the local high school was rebuilt, the bleachers were taken down because they were deemed to be unsafe due to their age. To date, not enough money has been raised to replace the grandstands, despite the fundraising efforts of staff and students. So far, $35,000 has been raised. Around $100,000 more is needed to replace the bleachers, which would give supporters a place to sit comfortably during games and competitions.
The track and field complex and football field, it notes on EDHS’s Aviva project page, is a cornerstone of the community and is used by its students for sporting events, pep-rallies, and school events. It is also used by elementary schools for their school track-and-field days, and for county and regional meets.
Staff and students are asking for the community to support the project through online voting.
EDHS Student Success Teacher, Lindsay Drozdz, said currently, aside from one tiny bench, there is nowhere for sports fans and supporters to sit while EDHS games and competitions are held.
“The Essex Community has done this before and can do this again,” Drozdz said, noting several years ago, Essex Public School won a large sum of funds that was put towards its playground structure through the Aviva Community Fund, thanks to community support through online voting. “Asking for votes is a lot easier than asking for money.”
Voting in this round of the Aviva Community Fund program began on Tuesday, September 25. This round of voting goes until October 4. Each registered email has ten votes, which can be put towards a single project at one time, or spread out to support several projects.
“We are really excited about it,” she said. “We know Essex rallies behind projects like this.”
Log onto www.avivacommunityfund.org/voting/project/view/18-109 to view this project and vote for it.