PAST Projects

Track and Soccer Complex

> Chronology of Events
> Architect Rendering
> Recognition Plaza
> Facilities & Equipment
> Community Benefits
> Overview of Soccer Fields
> Projected Schedule
> Unique Campaign
> Anticipated Funding Sources
> Naming Opportunities
> Project Phases

Chronology of Events to date on the Track and Soccer Complex Project

Chronology of Events for the Project in 2004 and 2005:

• Obtained land from the Board of Education for the Track and Soccer Complex in July, 2004.
• Staked and surveyed the land. Pat Reeser (civil engineer) and Tim French (surveyor) completed this phase in November, 2004.
• Retained the services of Paige Design Group in January, 2005.  The Paige Design Group specializes in the design of track & field facilities. They only take on projects that have a track and field component.  Their clients include Cornell University, Duke University, Florida State University, Ohio State University, Penn State University, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of California (Berkeley) University of Maryland, University of North Carolina, University of Oklahoma, University of Wisconsin, and Villanova University.  Special Projects include Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, HI (supported by the Bishop Trust – the largest private trust in the USA) and the Olympic Training Center, San Diego, CA.  Paige Design Group’s fee to our committee is well below market rates because of our limited funds. 
• Don Paige of Paige Design Group met with the volunteer committee and high school administrators on January 12, 2005.
• Mr. Paige met with the committee in Hedgesville on February 7, 2005.  This meeting was attended by school administrators from Hedgesville High School and the Berkeley County Board of Education, volunteers, and potential donors to the project.  A detailed Preliminary Draft report, with all project budget items by category, was received on March 15, 2005. 
• The Committee met and reviewed Mr. Paige’s Preliminary Draft report on March 17, 2005. At this time the Committee made decisions regarding what was realistic in terms of the size and scope of the project and determined a strategy to involve and receive input from local contractors and suppliers for services in the form as gifts-in-kind for the project. Pat Reeser has accumulated, compiled, and summarized information from Mr. Paige’s Preliminary Draft report on spreadsheets.  This was completed by mid-April of 2005. This working document has been used by members of the Committee to discuss specifics with our some of our lead prospects regarding their participation in our Project. These gifts-in-kind will be in the form of services (i.e. site preparation), supplies, and materials.
• A detailed fund raising plan for a capital campaign was written by volunteer committee member Terry Mallett of Mallett and Associates, Inc. in April, 2004. This plan was amended May, 2006.
• The volunteer committee held the Inaugural Eagle Promise Golf Outing fund raiser on August 15, 2005. The Inaugural Eagle Promise Golf Outing was the best first year golf tournament held in the Eastern Panhandle. The Inaugural Eagle Promise Golf Outing generated a net of $31,000 to be applied toward the activities to build and construct the Track and Soccer Complex. The golf outing will be an annual event with funds generated from the golf outing going to the project the Executive Committee is supporting at the time. The Eagle Promise Golf Outing will continue to support the Track and Soccer Complex on an annual basis until it has been completely funded. 
• We, the Committee, had investigated both the establishment of our own Charitable Foundation or Charitable Fund 501 (c) (3) and also met with the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation about being a member of the community foundation. After many meetings with the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, the Executive Committee, of the Track and Soccer Complex decided it was in our best interests to form our own Charitable Fund in early 2006. The Eagle Promise Charitable Fund, Inc. received final approval from the IRS to become a 501 (c) (3) in August, 2006.

Chronology of Events for the Project in 2006: 

• The Track and Soccer Complex Executive Committee has been working with community leaders and businesses, administrators at Hedgesville High School (HHS) and the Berkeley County Board of Education (BCBOE) over the past two years as we move the project forward to take this project from one that was once a dream to a reality hopefully in the future. We (the committee) recently (3/06) made the decision to move forward with the Track and Soccer Complex project for the Hedgesville School System.

We are currently working with the administration of Hedgesville High School (HHS), the office of the Berkeley County Board of Education (BCBOE) and the Architectural and Civil Engineering (A & CE) firm that works closely with the BCBOE on Board of Education projects. We are looking for the A & CE firm to provide the EPCF and the Track and Soccer Complex Committee with a site specific detailed civil engineering drawings that are needed to progress to the next step for our project planning and construction.  We hope to have the architectural and civil engineering drawings in the first quarter of 2007. 

Once we have the architectural and civil engineering drawing in hand we will be assessing our cash needs for a phased project which includes GIK of services, supplies and materials from the special friends of HHS. This process will be qualifying all aspects of the scaled down project (Phase I and II), gaining from our gift-in-kind prospects and friends what their commitment will be for gift-in-kind of services, supplies and materials toward the Project. We then will determine what our cash needs will be to complete each of our project Phase’s I and II.  We continue to raise the necessary cash and cash commitments which will be needed and applied to the project when we begin Phases I and II. When we have the necessary cash to match our gifts-in-kind for a particular Phase we then will begin construction to complete that portion of the particular project phase. 

The completed Phased Project (Phase I and II) probably would not include such amenities such as rest rooms, bleachers, concession stands, storage buildings, paved sidewalks and a paved road and parking. This would come in a Phase III and Phase IV of the process. Our goal now is to complete Phase I and Phase II so the Hedgesville High School and the community at large will have a Track and Soccer Complex for both practice and competitions. This Project has been a long time coming and we need to move ahead. 

We anticipate that Phase I of our project would be the building of the access road and path way (gravel) with water and electric supply infrastructure up to a graveled staging and parking area. The other part of Phase I would be to perform all cut and fill and other site work preparation which would include all site drainage needs for the track and soccer fields. Phase II would include building the track and soccer fields (competition and practice) and the security fencing. As funds become available for other Phases of the Project will be completed.

Phase II will require the most cash to complete. To finish our cash flow study we need to balance our cash needs against commitments for each phase for gifts-in-kind to the Project. The completed cash flow analysis will take us at least two to three months to complete. Our goal would be to be able to begin Phase I sometime in 2007. 

• The Second Annual Eagle Promise Golf Outing was held on August 14, 2006. The golf outing netted $33,000 for the Track and Soccer Complex. The Third Annual Eagle Promise Golf Outing will be held at The Woods Resort on August 13, 2007.

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Architect Rendering

Download a PDF of the Track and Soccer Complex rendering.

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Recognition Plaza

The Recognition Plaza will be a special place within the Track and Soccer complex to recognize and honor those who have been actively involved in various projects over the years in the Hedgesville school district and in particular Hedgesville High School. The Recognition Plaza will recognize and honor those in the community who have provided the leadership, financial support, including those companies and corporations who have made gifts-in-kind of time and services, supplies and materials to make the Track and Soccer complex a reality. The Recognition Plaza also will recognize and honor those who have been instrumental in the past in the building of many of facilities currently being used by Hedgesville High School’s sports programs. 

The Recognition Plaza is also a giving opportunity to make a gift to the Track and Soccer complex while honoring others who may have been influential in the donor’s life as a student, parent, grandparent, teacher, or coach.

Individual donors to the Track and Soccer Complex can honor alumni, family, and friends by making a gift of a brick, tile, capstone, plaque, or bench which will be located in the Recognition Plaza. All net proceeds from the purchase of a brick, tile, capstone, plaque and / or a bench will be applied to the Track and Soccer Complex.

Each purchase of a brick, tile, capstone, plaque or bench, when added to the Recognition Plaza, will be photographed and will be cataloged (where it can be found in the Recognition Plaza) and the picture will posted on the Eagle Promise Charitable Fund’s web-site. You will be able to easily search for your brick, tile, capstone, plaque and / or bench on the EPCF web-site and then when you visit the Recognition Plaza you will be able to find your brick, tile, capstone, plaque and / or bench by section-panel-row-number.

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Listing of Facilities and Equipment

What facilities will be included in the Track and Soccer Complex once all phases of the Project have been completed? 

The Project will include the facilities listed below. The determining factors as to whether the proposed Project will be completed in one phase or will be a multi-phased project built over a number of years will depend upon the number and size of the gifts generated for the Project. The funding would be a combination of gift commitments by Individual’s, Corporation’s and/or by Foundation’s, and Grants along with all other types of gifts generated by the community-at-large.  The gifts generated from the community-at-large will include gifts in cash as well as gifts-in-kind of services, materials, and supplies.

Entrance Road / Site Preparation/ Utilities / Parking Utilities include: a potable water supply for use for concession stand and restrooms; a well or wells for all irrigation for the natural turf fields; electrical supply; and sewer line or septic tank.

Site preparation includes: excavation, leveling, compaction, storm water retention, and drainage

Track Oval / High Jump / Pole Vault / Broad Jump areas
Natural Turf – Competition Field
Natural Turf – Practice Soccer Field and Field Events (Shot Put and Discus)
Reel Mower for maintenance of natural grass fields
Utility Tractor for use for maintenance and to move equipment from the Storage facility for a track meet
Lights and Poles for Lighted Facility – 4 Poles with Field Lighting
Bleachers / Press box – Seating for 1500
Fencing – Security – 8 ft. around total facility
Fencing – Separates fans from the competitors – 4.5 ft. (54”). Fencing surrounds total track oval.
Storage Facility – Storage of Track / Soccer / Maintenance Equipment
Concession / Restroom Facility – The Project will need to build restrooms (WV code) as soon bleachers have been installed.
Ticket Booth – Small building to conduct the sale of tickets.
Score Board – Needed for both Track and Soccer Competitions
Electronic Timing System – This amenity would be useful but could be added later.
Public Address System – The PA system will be installed at the same time the Press Box and Bleachers are installed.
Flag Poles – for the display of the United States and the State of West Virginia flags
Training Equipment – All loose equipment needed for training for all Track and Field Events
Competition Equipment – All loose equipment needed for staging a competition for all Track and Field Events
Soccer Equipment – Soccer Goals (4 Goals Total) Two each for Competition and Practice Fields
Security Lighting – Security Lighting is needed in and around the total facility
Recognition Plaza – The Recognition Plaza will be inside the gates of the facility and will honor all donors to the Project.

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Who in the community will benefit from the Track and Soccer Complex

The HHS Track and Soccer Complex will be an asset that can be used by constituents in the Hedgesville School District, Berkeley County Youth Soccer Association, and the Eastern Panhandle at large. Once the facility has been built it will be a true community resource. The Track and Soccer Complex totally built out will be available for use by the following groups:

• Hedgesville High School’s Boys’ and Girls’ Track and Field Teams – Training and Competition in the spring.
• Hedgesville High School’s Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity and Junior Varsity Soccer Teams – Training and Competition in the fall.
• Potential site of West Virginia state regional Track and Field Meets (Boys’ and Girls’).
• Potential site of West Virginia state sectional and regional Soccer matches (Boys’ and Girls’).
• Potential site for the hosting of Special Olympics competitions
• Track use by the Community at large:
  – The track will be open for community use
  – open to community for walking and jogging during the early morning, afternoons, and early evenings when not being used by Hedgesville high school.
• Soccer field use by Community at large:
  – Competition and Practice Fields will be available to be used by the Berkeley County Youth Soccer Program. The Berkeley County Youth Soccer Program has both a spring and fall season.
  – Competition and practice field use would need to be scheduled and can be made available when not being used by the high school or closed for periodic cultural practice needs. Presently when any youth soccer leagues have championship and all-star events they have to travel out of the area. This can mean travel to as far away as Morgantown or Parkersburg.
• HHS Physical Education Classes – The track and soccer competition and practice fields will be available for use by HHS physical education classes approximately 18 to 20 weeks out of the year. It is estimated that the Track and Soccer Complex facility could be used by 350 students a day five times a week (1750 a week). During a twenty week period the total student use could be up to 35,000 students for physical education usage during the school calendar year.

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Overview of the Soccer Fields [Specifications and Qualities]

What are the specifications and qualities of the proposed Soccer Fields
(Competition and Practice)?

Both the competition and practice fields will be built with the same specifications (drainage, irrigation, and types of grasses). These fields are being built with specifications for athletic turf that will use crumb rubber as a soil amendment to the turf. The crumb rubber will be top dressed into the turf once it has been established during the first two months growth. Crumb rubber as a soil amendment enhances the playing surface of the field in addition to helping the athletic turf surface (grasses). The drainage, irrigation, and the types of grasses which make up the turf surface through consistent use gets better over time. This turf surface does need to have specific and periodic cultural practices applied to the fields on a timely basis to ensure the best turf playing surfaces. NOTE:  The turf surface once established does not need to be over-seeded again. A unique quality of this turf surface, because of the mixture of grasses, is that this surface thrives on being used.  Under-use of this turf surface will lead to thatch problems. The cultural practices needed to maintain the turf surfaces includes: core aerifying and top dressing with sand twice a year, irrigation as needed, mowing twice a week, fertilization program, and spraying program for weeds, if needed. We are being advised by Dr. Tim Vanini, a graduate of Michigan State University’s turf program, and President of New Dimensions Turf. Dr. Trey Rogers, head of the MSU turf program, and Dr. Vanini conducted all the research with crumb rubber as a soil amendment to turf in the ninety’s at Michigan State University. They along with Michigan State University are the patent holders to the crumb rubber technology for natural turf. Dr. Vanini has designed and provided all of the specifications in the building of these state of the art fields for the Track and Soccer Complex.

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Projected construction schedule of the Track and Soccer Complex

Pre-Campaign Organization – This section can not completed until we have all of the needed detail from the Architectural and Civil Engineering firm to properly plan for a phased project. It is hoped that the detailed civil engineering and construction drawings will be completed to begin phase one of the Track and Soccer Project by the fall of 2007. The EPCF is currently working with Hedgesville High School and the Berkeley County Board of Education securing a number of documents that will be needed as it pursues the necessary funding to complete a phased project.

The Track and Soccer Project is a different type of project that is driven by a local 501 (c) (3) organization (Eagle Promise Charitable Fund) which will benefit Hedgesville High School and the community-at-large. The Track and Soccer Project becomes more complex because many parts of the project will be built through the use of various local contractors and suppliers who will be supporting this project through gifts-in-kind of services, supplies and materials.  With a phased project each phase will need a cash component to balance out the total cost of the phased project coupled with the gifts-in-kind from local contractors and various suppliers. The cash component of the project will come from a number of constituencies. The first will be from support from local corporations and businesses along with gifts from individuals in the community. The second area for cash support will be from the writing of grant proposals in addition to approaching both public and private foundations and various local, state, and federal agencies.

Campaign Solicitation – The campaign solicitation phase will be a continuous process going from the Pre-Campaign Organization phase until we accomplish the Committee’s goal to build all aspects of the Track and Soccer Complex plan.

Design and Review – The Design and Review process will include the designing of all phases of the project. This includes all architectural and civil engineering drawings for the project. This includes: site preparation, building the access road, all cut and fill needs, the design and building of a storage building, concession stands and restrooms, design and building of the track and field competition areas, bleachers, lighting, and the playing fields.

Bid / Award – The bid/award process will include the merging the gifts-in-kind from local contractors and suppliers and the awarding and hiring of segments of the project where we have to go to outside contractors to perform other necessary services for the project. This process will include coordinating each segment of the project, from its start to its finish, to assure the Project is on time and within budget.

When will the Track and Soccer Complex be available for use and competition?
Grand Opening and Dedication of Facility – spring of 200
Beginning of Track and Field Competition – spring of 200
Beginning of Soccer Competition – fall of 200

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Unique Campaign – Community Involvement

A Dream to Reality
The Project for the proposed Track and Soccer Complex has now moved from a Project that was once a dream by a few individuals, to becoming a reality.  If all goes well construction will begin sometime during 2007.  We anticipate that the Track and Soccer Complex could be available for use in spring of 2009.

Unique approach to the building and funding of the Project
The Project is unique in its total approach to raise the necessary funds to build the Track and Soccer Complex. This grass roots project will involve many people in the community to accomplish this task. Included in this group will be individuals with ties to the Hedgesville School District as well as others in Berkeley County. When the Track and Soccer Complex has been completed it will not only benefit many in the community but will be a true asset to the community and the Eastern Panhandle. This unique group of volunteers can and will make meaningful contributions to the project through donations of both gifts in cash and through gifts-in-kind. The gifts-in-kind portion of the campaign will include gifts either by the individuals or through their companies providing services, supplies, and materials to the Project. The gifts-in-kind can and will play a major role in the success of building the Track and Soccer Complex. 

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Anticipated Funding Sources

What is the estimated cost of the Total Project?

Estimated dollar level anticipated from the community-at-large in support for the Track and Soccer Complex

Who are the sources of funding for the Project?  What is the Committee’s estimate for the amount of funding from each of these sources?

Sources of gifts to the Track and Soccer Complex for a non Phased Project

Grants, Public / Private Foundations / Various local, state and federal agencies  – $0,000,000

Other Cash Gifts from the Community – $000,000

Gifts-in-kind from the Community – $0,000,000

TOTAL ALL GIFTS – $0,000,000

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Naming Opportunities for the Track and Soccer Complex

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Progress Phases of Track and Soccer Project

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