Culver turns dream into reality

Published 4:00 am Monday, November 26, 2001

CULVER Anyone who has driven by the Culver Bulldogs Sports Complex during the past two years can’t help but be impressed with the work that is going on there.

Now, thanks to the receipt of several major funding grants this fall, the development of playing fields for the community’s youth appears to be on the fast track toward completion.

The 20-acre facility is located along Iris Lane, south of the school district campus. It is owned and maintained by the Culver School District.

Construction of an eight-lane, 400-meter track is the newest addition to the project. The track will be complete in the spring after the all-weather rubber surface is applied.

”The complex is beautiful and has been made possible by the thousands of hours of volunteer labor from community members, kids, parents, grandparents and alumni,” said Sheri Stirewalt, a member of the Culver Bulldogs Booster Club who has spearheaded development of the track.

”Basically, the project had got as far as it could with donated labor.”

That’s where efforts to secure grants for continued development of the project have paid off in a big way. It seems that the project boosters have hit the lottery.

Well, maybe not quite that big, but the project is coming out looking like a winner.

”I got the idea of writing for grants when my sister, Angelica Frutos, was taking a grant writing class at COCC,” explained Stirewalt.

”Each grant requires specific information in a special format and can be as simple as a one-page letter to a 30-page document complete with photos. I went into the process just thinking that if I could convey how much volunteer time and fund-raising had already gone into the development of the sports complex with very little tax dollars right along with Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ so I just jumped in and started writing for grants.

”They might say no, but they might say yes.”

The biggest contribution came in the form of a $200,000 grant from Penelope Knight, wife of Nike co-founder Phil Knight. It was earmarked for development of the track complex, which includes track installation, lighting and stadium seating.

Nike recently awarded a $50,000 grant to the project as part of its Bill Bowerman Track Renovation Program. It is one of only nine granted nationwide to date. The Bill Bowerman Foundation contributed a $7,500 grant, and Jeld-Wen, developers of Eagle Crest Resort and owners of several businesses in Central Oregon, provided a $5,000 grant through the Jeld-Wen Foundation.

Earlier contributions included a $7,000 gift from the Jefferson County Soccer Association for development of the soccer field; baseball and softball scoreboards donated by the Bean Foundation; and a $5,000 donation from Culver-based Seaswirl Boats.

Stirewalt continues to write grant requests in hopes of raising the funds needed to complete the project.

The entire complex, which already includes football, baseball, softball and soccer fields, a temporary concession stand, and a gravel parking area, has been developed through fund-raising, donations and volunteer labor.

”Businesses have donated the use of their equipment, and operators and farmers have had their employees help when extra hands were needed.”

One of those who has had a big hand in the project is Dick Souers, former head baseball coach and now the head softball coach at Culver High and a longtime youth sports supporter in Jefferson County.

Souers, a retired road engineer, was asked by Culver boosters to head the project. He surveyed the site, engineered and designed the entire complex.

”I’ve been building ballfields for all of my life,” said Souers. ”I’ve just been overseeing the whole thing.”

The excitement over the development of the track is reaching a feverish level. Its completion the only thing left to do is apply the all-weather surfacing in the spring will allow Culver athletes to practice and compete on a regulation surface, not the dirt and red cinder running oval currently being used at the school.

”Culver had not hosted a home track meet in decades,” said Stirewalt. ”Our athletes have not been able to practice on the same surfaces that they compete on.”

Once work on the track is complete, attention will be turned to the installation of stadium lights (at a cost of $70,000), exterior fencing for the football and track facility ($60,000), and the development of a grandstand and press box.

Stirewalt said depending on how funds become available, an aluminum erector-style grandstand similar to the one installed at Bend’s Summit High but on a smaller scale would be developed, or an all-in-one grandstand with a concession stand, locker rooms, restrooms and storage underneath the seating will be constructed.

The erector-style grandstand would cost about $100,000; the all-in-one grandstand about $300,000.

”It’s obviously a fantastic opportunity that gives our kids a first-class facility and gives them a reason to participate,” said Jon Bell, Culver High’s first-year principal.

”Being new to the school and Culver community, I’m so impressed with what they’re accomplishing here. For them to be able to put together something like that, it showed that these people and this community really care about their kids.”

The Culver Bulldogs Booster Club is a non-profit organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. Tax-deductible donations to the sports complex can be made in care of the Culver Bulldogs Booster Club, P.O. Box 217, Culver, Ore. 97734.