Fans launch fundraising campaign for goal posts
North Fork community members and business owners have launched a fundraising campaign to purchase new goal posts to replace the deteriorated ones located at Greenport High School’s football field.
Orient resident and former owner of the Times/Review Newsgroup Troy Gustavson said in an email that Colin Ratsey of Ratsey Construction in Greenport came up with the fundraising idea following the latest winning streak by the Greenport/Southold/Mattituck varsity football team. The Porters are 5-0 heading into Friday night’s homecoming game against Center Moriches.
Mr. Ratsey has pledged $1,500 toward the new goal posts and has also volunteered to install them for free. His son Colin plays football for Bishop McGann-Mercy Diocesan High School.
As of Friday afternoon, Mr. Gustavson said $4,200 of the $8,000 fundraising goal has been reached. Peconic Landing in Greenport has also donated $1,500 toward the cause, he added.
Those interested in donating can make checks out to Gridiron Parents/Porters Football and mail them c/o Ratsey Construction, P.O. 398, Greenport, NY 11944.
This is the second grassroots effort launched in recent months to raise funds for the district’s athletic facilities.
Over the summer, local parents started a fundraising campaign to get the school’s track ready for competitions after an agreement to allow Greenport track players to practice in Mattituck ended.
For the past two years, Greenport track players have practiced in Mattituck, although the districts have maintained separate track teams. Greenport school officials have said that since the agreement ended at the end of last school year, there was no time to plan and budget for reconstructing their own school’s track.
Since then, the Southold School District, which doesn’t currently have a track team, has agreed to join Greenport in its efforts and create a combined track team this school year. Although the track won’t be ready for home meets, players will be able to practice there and compete in away meets during the spring season, which starts in March. For more information on donating toward the new track, email Greenport High School parent Lisa DeLuca at [email protected].
Greenport athletic director Jim Caliendo is organizing both the track and goalpost projects.
The Suffolk Times is offering a promotion to help raise funds for the Gridiron Parents, the group accepting donations for the new goal posts, and the Greenport Booster Club, the athletic fund accepting donations for the new track. For new subscription orders made between Oct. 18 to Nov. 8, The Suffolk Times will donate $20. A $10 donation will be made for current subscribers who renew their subscription during that time frame. All subscriptions include free access to the publication’s electronic edition.
