Winning field goal

NEWPORT, Wash. – Newport upgraded Don Ellersick Memorial Field on a shoe string. Make that several shoe strings and an amazing community effort.

A state-of-the-art track was the center of attention at a short dedication ceremony Friday night prior to the Grizzlies’ season-opening football game. The symbolic start of the fund-raising came from the track program selling shoe strings and the dream was realized by tying together the school district, city and county.

“I think they all surprised themselves that they all could work together,” Sandy Ellersick, widow of the former Newport and Washington State great, said. “We have pride in our community and we want our kids to have that.”

Newport High School, the city of Newport and Pend Oreille County aren’t awash with money. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches, 20 percent higher than the state average. In the same issue of The Newport Miner that announced Friday night’s festivities was a story detailing the closing of the local Ford dealership.

“It’s been the dream of a lot of people to improve that facility for a long time,” Newport resident Cathy Johnson said. “It’s been something that has been pursued in the past, but because times have been tough in the community and school district it just was not a priority. I’m not sure where all the money came from.”

“It’s amazing,” track and cross country runner Aric Walden said. “It looked awesome.”

But no one was happier than track coach Barry Sartz.

“I’m just so proud of this community,” he said. “You just keep dreaming, and a couple of guys kept dreaming along with me. You never give up.”

If Sartz was the dreamer, Fred Willenbrock was the visionary.

The publisher of The Miner, Willenbrock had plans drawn five years ago, when he was the booster club president, to improve all the recreation facilities in a complex that includes the elementary, middle and high school, the rodeo grounds and the city park. Up next, he hopes, are improving and lighting the tennis courts.

“It’s been a long journey for us to get this far,” he said. “Publishers inspire things for the community, but it is the community that does it. … This last year I was really surprised, pleasantly surprised. The city, county and schools are always fighting for the buck. This time they all came (through).”

Pulling it all together was superintendent Tere von Marbod.

“It probably starts with Barry Sartz … and Mr. Willenbrock, but Tere had to ask the community if it would help,” county commissioner Laura Merrill said.

The long-time Central Valley district educator began scrounging for money when she arrived in the summer of 2005, forced to buy metal bleachers because the rotting wood ones were condemned. That led to on-going improvements, a new press box, concession stand and restrooms as well as acceptable bleachers.

When Sartz arrived at a board meeting with a picture of the 2006 district track champs, who couldn’t have a home meet because of the dismal facilities, “the wheels started turning,” on the big-ticket item, von Marbod said.

The good news is she found a potential $75,000 grant for youth athletic facilities through the state’s Recreation and Conservation Office. The bad news is schools couldn’t apply.

The good news is the county backed the application, which Merrill helped write. The bad news is that it took a promise of matching funds.

Several groups and agencies stepped forward, headed by the county, which put its road crew on the track – excavating and rebuilding the base.

“No maintenance went undone or got put on the back burner,” said Ron Curren, the county public works director, who was asked to be the project manager by school board member Frank Wilson, the previous public works director. “To be honest, I ran track a long time ago. This would be one of the nicer stadiums high schoolers could ask to run on.”

Curren estimates his department contributed about $50,000 in man and equipment hours, with his “right-hand man” Monte Richter at the school almost every day.

It wasn’t just the county, city and big businesses. Some summer evenings there would be upward of 60 people working around the area, many who don’t have kids in school.

“I found in a small town people feel more empowered,” von Marbod said.

She recalled being dragged out of her office by Donnie Winterfield, who pointed at the dilapidated press box and said, “I’m a retired steelworker and I can build that for you.”

He did.

“Everyone, when asked if they could help, did something,” Merrill said. “The volunteers in the community were amazing.”

Coaches and athletes pitched in. Walden gathered 25 volunteers to help him rebuild the long jump pit for his Eagle Scout project. They moved the jump pit so the football field could double as a soccer field for the first-year girls program.

“The kids are excited,” Willenbrock said. “That’s probably the most rewarding part, when they come over and shake your hand.”

On Friday, Willenbrock’s hands were specked with paint, last-minute work before the crowd arrived. Everything that wasn’t new was getting a new coat of paint.

“It was just a lot of hard work, dedication,” Curren said. “It was just such a huge collective effort it just amazes me. We’re not a thriving community – we’ve had some huge hits here in the last month. This kind of just shows we can still do it.”