Lights going up in Cove Saturday

Published 3:45 pm Friday, July 10, 2009

Volunteers needed

COVE – Volunteers are needed Saturday to help with the installation of the football lights at Goodson Field.

Volunteers with some mechanical ability to assist in setting and backfilling posts is a plus. Those interested in volunteering, should call Jana Parmele at 568-5013 or just show up at 7 a.m. Saturday at Cove High School.

COVE – Cove’s dream of a lighted football field will become a reality Saturday.

The Cove Booster Club is arranging a work party to install the new lights. Volunteers are needed.

The booster club has been raising funds for the lights for almost a year. The $45,000 project is still about $3,000 short, but the installation is going ahead.

“We will do whatever it takes to get it done. Even in these hard economical times, people have really given and helped how they can,” said project leader Mari Brainerd.

Alumni of Cove Schools donated a large amount, Brainerd said. Even an alum from West Virginia who graduated in the 1950s has donated and is keeping track of the project.

The installation will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday at Goodson Field and run until 2 p.m. Brainerd said they hope to get the lights installed in that time period. A volunteer electrical engineer has put the lights together.

Organizers say that the lights will be ready for the first football game and any community events that would require lighting at dark.

“In late 2007 the Cove Booster Club began discussing the possibility of installing football lights on Goodson Field at Cove High School,” said Brainerd. “In order to accomplish this community project, the booster club partnered with Cove High School, Cove Community Association and the city of Cove.”

The lights are worth much more than their intended purpose of providing lights.

“We don’t want people missing out on the kids because they couldn’t get out of work at 1 p.m. for the game,” Brainerd said.

“This is for the community and to bring us all together for the kids.”

With a lighted field, people will be able to go to the night games without taking vacation days used to go to the day games in the past.

Additionally, Brainerd said, “This will help tourism too because when people come from Idaho for a night game, they may stay the night and explore the area and use local businesses.”

Cove High School has had a football team since 1907.

Brainerd applauded all the people who have contributed to the project.

“Money for the project has been raised through fundraisers such as bingo and chili night, a hamburger stand at the Cove Cherry Fair, selling Cove Leopard apparel, Friday Night Lights buttons, bleacher seats and Leopard print ears and tails,” Brainerd said.

The group applied for many grants and was awarded $8,433 from Wildhorse Casino. The La Grande Lions Club donated $600; Cove School alumni, community members and businesses contributed more than $6,000; and the city of Cove and Cove School each donated $10,000.”

In addition to funds being raised, Nancy Vansickle from OTEC and Wright Electrical and Electrical Engineering have donated labor and time, which has saved the group thousands of dollars.

Cheri Doren, Cove Booster Club president, said that Brainerd, “has been nothing short of miraculous with her ability to make this dream a reality.”

“She’s written grants, made contacts for support – she’s just been fantastic.”

Organizers say there is a lot of excitement in the community – from the football team to the alums who have been following the progress of the project and community members who can’t wait to watch football this season.

Those interested in donating toward the project can contact Brainerd at 910-2222.