New group is raising $142K for lighting at Orono soccer and skiing field
A group that formed this year has raised more than half of the $142,000 it needs to install lighting at Orono High School’s soccer and Nordic skiing field.
The lighting would allow Orono’s student athletes to attend evening practices and finish soccer games cut short by fading daylight. It would also create the only groomed and lighted Nordic ski area north of Waterville, which is open to members of the public, said Laura Hoovler Mitchell of Friends of Orono Schools.
The group of parents and school staff is focused on providing financial support to academic and athletic projects at Regional School Unit 26. That could include funding new equipment, training and other facilities. Friends of Orono Schools expects to be granted its nonprofit status in a few weeks.
The group has raised $86,000 for the lighting project, including $50,000 from RSU 26 and $35,000 in private donations, Hoovler Mitchell said.
She is an alumna of Orono schools and has two children at the district. Hoovler Mitchell also coaches children from ages 6 to 13 as part of the Penobscot Valley Ski Club’s Ski Farm program. About 100 kids are involved, and they ski the area in the dark, she said.
“We see a huge opportunity to make the area safer and engage more kids,” she said. “It will also make it easier to run the program. That’s on top of all the benefits it would provide for soccer.”
About 40 students are involved in the school district’s Nordic ski program, Hoovler Mitchell said. The Orono High School boys team won the 2024 MVC Nordic Championship this week. About 70 high schoolers and 30 middle schoolers are involved in soccer, she said.
Friends of Orono Schools hopes to raise the funds in time to install the lighting in early summer, ahead of the soccer season this fall.
The group has applied for six grants, and results are expected to be announced in the spring. Members are also seeking contributions from private donors and businesses, and they plan to hold fundraisers later this year, Hoovler Mitchell said.
RSU 26 is collecting donations on behalf of Friends of Orono Schools while the group waits for approval as a nonprofit.
The $86,000 it has raised includes $1,000 from Orono, which comes from the town’s mini grants program.
In November, the Orono Town Council set aside $10,000 for residents and local groups interested in hosting events that build community pride. Grants allow the town to make a one-time investment in a new citizen-led community project, and requests of $1,000 or less are being prioritized. Councilors spoke Monday about how this project falls somewhat outside of the intended scope, but it still has an element of newness, so they agreed to fund it.
While lighting for athletics is its first endeavor, Friends of Orono Schools hopes to fund a wide range of projects in the future, Hoovler Mitchell said. The group’s Facebook page lists the chess team, science fairs and robotics as examples.
The group formed as a way to build on decades of work by Orono boosters. Being a nonprofit formalizes that work and expands the vision, she said.
“This lighted, groomed field is a unique asset throughout our region for night Nordic skiing,” the group wrote on its page. “A lighted community soccer and Nordic facility creates a vibrant atmosphere that unites the community, fosters school spirit and provides an unforgettable experience for current and future players.”
