Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PORT HURON, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan high school that's been raising money to replace the gym floor is selling ads that would be displayed on the floor.
Port Huron Northern High School has $75,000 committed toward its $120,000 goal and has corporate sponsorships lined up for more than half of its 10 advertising spots, the Times Herald of Port Huron reported (http://bwne.ws/1ijQ0PK ). It recently got a $10,000 sponsorship from Talmer Bank and Trust.
"We're very close to getting this done," the school's athletic director and assistant principal Jason Kasparian said. "We're not there yet, we're still looking for some more people for sure, and I have some contacts out there and I'm hoping this last little push will get us there."
Talmer Bank will pick where its 3-foot-by-5-foot logo will be placed within a space that school officials have set aside for corporate ads.
"The fact that the Port Huron Area School District does so much for our community, replacing a gym floor in these times can't be a priority with budget constraints being as they are," said William Oldford, Talmer Bank regional director.
The floor is about 50 years old. Students say it's slippery, hard and has little bounce. School officials hope the new floor will go in by summer 2016.
"It's one of those things that, you have a vision, and part of our vision was recognizing we've got to do something," Kasparian said.
The campaign's deadline is Oct. 2. A student-led Fund Our Floor Walk-a-thon on Sept. 26 also will raise money. Jenna Koppinger, a junior at the school, said the walk will involve Northern athletic teams and future Northern students at the district's three middle schools.
"We're just working toward the floor itself and toward the community. We think it would be a good investment for later years," she said.
___
Information from: Times Herald, http://www.thetimesherald.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
