Soccer league unfurls plan to phase funding

Mike Liskey, soccer league president, stands outside the future complex off Koontz Road. Rich Cooley /Daily file (Purchase photo)

A capital campaign to fund the complex has raised enough money to build two fields, and groundbreaking for those could occur sometime in mid-May depending on the completion of an engineer's plan and final pricing from excavators, said Mike Jordan, a construction supervisor.

"We need to get something built so people who have donated can see what they're donating for," he said.

The campaign has brought in a little more than $50,000, chairwoman Beth Funkhouser said. The goal is $300,000, but she shares Jordan's opinion that some physical work should be done while fundraising continues.

"We want to show the public that we're serious about what we're doing," Funkhouser said. "Money is still coming in. We're hopeful that we will be getting some substantial donations soon."

There is one big event in the coming weeks that may give the league a money boost. A spring dance is slated for 7-11 p.m. May 10 at the Yellow Barn at Shenandoah Caverns. For $25 a person, or $40 a couple, there will be music, food and drinks to enjoy.

Event coordinator John Chroniger said raising $6,000-$7,000 from the event would be nice.

"We just need to raise funds because of the economic situation," he said. "We figured we better get started and do our own fundraising than depend just on other people to donate to us."

Excavating will take about three weeks once ground is broken, Jordan said.

Should groundbreaking occur in mid-May, seeds could then be planted by late May or early June, he said.

The fields would have to sit for about a year for the grass to grow, Jordan said, meaning that the earliest league players and others in the community -- the Shenandoah County Department of Parks and Recreation will use the site as well, and the county is helping with funds -- will be putting them to use will likely be in the fall of 2009.

The current spring season started last week, league recreation commissioner Bill Woodwell said. There are about 530 youths participating, which is around the normal number, he said.

"We're still scrambling to find fields," Woodwell said.

Relief, however, is finally on the way.

"Within the next week to 10 days, we should know exactly what we'll do," Jordan said Thursday of developing the complex. "It's something that's needed."

For more information about the spring dance, contact Chroniger at 740-8090. The deadline to purchase tickets is May 3.

To make a donation to the league, contact Funkhouser at 459-3874 for details or visit www.shentel.net/shenandoah-soccer.

* Contact Preston Knight at pknight@nvdaily.com