LITTLE SILVER – The Let There Be Lights campaign was a success.
After two years of fundraising, the Red Bank Regional Buccaneer Athletic Foundation (RBRBAF) has succeeded in its founding initiative to bring lights to the Red Bank Regional (RBR) athletic field.
Approximately $150,000 was raised for the project and the lights were installed at the end of last month.
successfully completed their two-year effort to bring lights to the Red Bank Regional athletic field. They are, back row, from left: Anne Amato, Don Chamberlain, Scott Navitsky, foundation President Cathy Reardon and RBR Athletic Director Del Dal Pra. Front row, from left: Debbie Juliano, Jody Navitsky, Judy Bonanno and Superintendent Jim Stefankiewicz. Absent from photo are Diane Davis and Beth Lloyd.
Area businesses were generous in donating or discounting their services to help erect the lights. Three football games and two soccer games – one girls and one boys – will be played under the lights this fall. The field also will be used for boys and girls lacrosse in the spring.
“Everyone understood the importance of bringing lights to our athletic field from a community perspective,” said RBRBAF President Cathy Reardon. “It creates a great athletic and social experience for our kids. It was a tremendous community effort.”
RBR Athletic Director Del Dal Pra is appreciative of the athletic foundation’s work and extolled the virtues of finally having an even playing field (pun intended) with other schools in RBR’s division. All opponents have had the benefit of lights on their high school fields.
“This will increase practice time and, therefore, help improve athletic performance,” Dal Pra said. “The lights would also allow the district to sponsor athletic tournaments, which would bring additional funding to the athletic program as well as promote community spirit.”
RBRBAF member Scott Nevitsky said that many in the community helped to make this happen.
“We had a very hardworking committee, held many fundraisers and received generous donations from parents, alumni and the community,” he said. “We particularly appreciated the partnership with the Red Bank RiverCenter in their International Flavors Festival where we provided the bulk of volunteers and received a generous donation from the proceeds of the event.” “Everyone worked together, they really believed in the mission and had a great passion for the cause,” Nevitsky added.
The work of the RBRBAF will continue with a list of other athletic improvements it would like to help bring to RBR.
RBR Superintendent Dr. Jim Stefankiewicz said he and school board members are “extremely happy and appreciative of the efforts of the athletic foundation members and look forward to continuing a working relationship with them in the future.”
