A New Track And The Community Support For The Program
Workers are busy at the Lacey Stadium installing the new track this week.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The track season may be over, but the track at the Lacey Complex is starting to take shape now in preperation for next year.
Workers have been at the facility all week prepping the track, and now laying the coating that makes up the track surface. Also being added is some extra seating on the home side to help accommodate an additional 100 people.
Sherry Vavra with MCRF said that construction is also under way on the addition of a temporary second story to the temporary press box to help facilitate all the media coverage needs, be it live tv broadcast over MCG to local and regional media outlets such as radio, web and print outlets. The expanded room will also help accommodate coaching staff and stats crews as well.
With a new track comes the need to help provide equipment for the athletes to use, and this is where one group of interested residents has stepped in to help raise funds for just that purpose.
Duck Pluckers spokesperson Sherri Taylor helped to explain what the fund raiser is all about and how people can participate in the fun while helping to raise funds in the process. “It’s just a really fun event to raise money for something that will enhance the athletic programs.”
The equipment will be used by athletes from WPU, Oskaloosa Community Schools and Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation, so this is an opportunity to come together as a community and do something good for all our athletes.
Taylor has done similar fund raisers in other communities where she has worked, and brought the unique name along with her. “You know, there are a lot of people who do hunting and fishing,” Taylor says.
“Put on your camo, put on some bling in the ‘Camo and Carats’ and you win a prize for best dressed.” Taylor said of just one of the many fun aspects of the fundraiser. There will also be a ‘Wild Culinary Creations Contest’ “where the host of each table will make an appetizer of their catch or their kill.”
A contest for the best table decorations is also a big part of the evening. Taylor said the host of the table can decorate it “like a fishing hole, or a deer blind… what ever it is they want to do.”
There will be a DJ and dancing as well Taylor says, “It’s just a chance for people to go dress up and play and have fun,” says Taylor.
The purpose of all this is to help raise funds to provide the equipment needed to host events at the new track. Businesses or groups of individuals can ‘buy’ a table or individuals can come out on a per seat basis as well. Individual seats are $50.00, which includes the meal and also a membership to sports boosters. The membership in sports boosters gets them a season ticket to all athletic events at William Penn. (normally $65.00 on it’s own)
The event will be held at the National Guard Armory of Oskaloosa on Saturday, July 28. The silent auction and cash bar will open at 5:00 p.m., with dinner starting at 6:30 p.m.
Over $11,000 in donated items have been collected for the silent and live auctions including a one-week stay at Burson’s Delta Resort in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a gun cabinet, and much, much more! The live auction and raffle drawings will take place at 8:00 p.m., after which, guests are free to dance the night away until 11:00 p.m.
Raffle tickets can be purchased prior to the event at various locations including: Breadeaux Pizza, the Oskaloosa Chamber, Oskaloosa Golf, Signature Salon and the William Penn University Bookstore. Raffle prizes include a Weber Spirit Grill donated by True Value Hardware, a Clow crafted bench to honor OHS teacher and coach, Clark Holthaus, as well as a one-of-a-kind WPU Henry 22 Golden Boy rifle.
For the true outdoorsmen and women, Field Games will be held prior to the dinner and auction from 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Izaak Walton League of Mahaska County. All proceeds will be divided between the Booster Club and the top three shooters. Bring your own gun and ammunition and show off your sharpshooting skills during the clay shoot and quail walk.
The cost to attend the Duck Pluckers Ball is $500 per table, or $50 per person. For an updated list of sponsors, silent and live auction items, directions, registration forms, and payment information, visit us online at www.wmpenn.edu/duckpluckers. For questions, call 641-673-1044 or send an email to duckpluckers@wmpenn.edu. Find us on Facebook by searching for “Duck Plucker’s Ball”.
