Big boost for S. Elgin high school stadium

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

SOUTH ELGIN — In the past two months since Elgin-based Wisdom Adhesives and the Wisdom Family Foundation donated $250,000 to the South Elgin High School Booster Foundation’s stadium fundraising campaign, the school has launched a “Bring It Home” campaign to get its students involved.

The boosters have made presentations about their plans for the football and multi-use stadium to the community and the School District U46 Board of Education.

Now, an area businessperson who wishes to remain anonymous has committed to donate an additional $200,000 to help the boosters build that stadium.

That puts the group over its $500,000 fundraising goal for Phase I of the stadium project, according to Boosters Foundation vice president Mike Bersani.

“There’s no doubt about it: The Wisdom donation put us at the forefront of a lot of attention, not just from the school board but from the public,” Bersani said. “We’ve been gaining momentum since then.”

Additional donations and monetary commitments have come in from individuals and businesses in the school district, including Sherman Health, he said.

Phase I will add home bleachers to seat at least 1,500 people outside South Elgin High School; a scoreboard; and a brick paver pathway from the existing school parking lot to the front entrance of the stadium.

Future phases of the plan will include new turf for the field, lighting and a concessions building.

The high school’s football team currently plays at Millennium Field in Streamwood.

Bersani called the bleachers the “big-ticket item” in Phase I of the project.

He said the boosters hope to get bids for building the bleachers by January, then review those and take them to the school board for approval in February. That would give the manufacturer time so construction could begin in June and the stadium could be ready at the start of the 2011-12 school year in August.

But Bersani said, “We’re not done fundraising. There always are going to be costs that come up that we haven’t foreseen. Plus, we want to get into Phase II. We’re still collecting donations.”

People can donate or learn more about the South Elgin High School Booster Foundation’s stadium fundraising campaign by visiting www.sehsboosters.org or calling Bersani at 630-258-3298.