On Monday morning (May 13th) I had the chance to join community leaders, students, and other funders to celebrate the groundbreaking of Camden High School’s new athletic field. As a part of the 2013 annual grants cycle, the Foundation awarded two Safe Places to Play grants to the Camden City Board of Education – one for synthetic turf and one for field lighting. The Foundation is very excited to be a part of this project, as the construction of the new field will provide a much needed safe place to play for young people in the City of Camden.
Despite the unseasonably cold weather, the turnout was great and the bleachers were full of excited members of the community. Speakers at the event included current students and alums of Camden High School, school board representatives, the interim Superintendent, as well as members of the “We Can Do This” committee, the group that spearheaded the extensive fundraising and planning that were required to make this dream a reality. In addition to the inspiring remarks, we were also treated to performances by the Panther Marching Band and the Camden Sophisticated Sisters. The passion and commitment to making this project happen was evident and the impact that this field will have on the community once it is completed is crystal clear.
We at the Foundation are so excited to continue to grow the sport of soccer in Camden, especially since our Soccer for Success players at the Boys and Girls Club down the street will get to play on this brand new field!
Now that they have broken ground, we are counting down the days to the grand opening. Go Panthers!
