b6ef87e2ecbf2051bc71bc62afd9f848.jpg

MANVILLE: Digital sign almost ready to be lit up

It’s installed in front of the high school

By Mary Ellen Day, Special Writer
   Alumni of Manville High School joined together to raise funds for a digital information center for the community.
   It looks a lot like an electronic sign.
   The sign was installed in front of the school on Brooks Boulevard last week and will be used for informational purposes by the school district and by Emergency Management, borough government, police, the Recreation Department and senior citizens.
   Lou Fischer (Class of 1978), along with Mark Gregor (1977), Ed Komoroski (1978), Dr. Jim Brunn (1977), school Superintendent Johanna Ruberto, Steve Venuto, Lou Fischer Sr. and school Business Administrator Kim Clelland comprise the organizing committee.
   Mr. Fischer is excited about the sign finally being installed. He said he is “both relieved and excited, and it is a great addition to the school and the town.”
   It took about two years for the idea to become a reality, he said. He said he brought the idea to Dr. Ruberto in December 2010 and began the fundraising with a spaghetti dinner in April 2011.
   ”The sign and the pathway has been a long work in progress,” Mr. Fischer said.
   The replaced wooded sign originally donated to the school from the Class of 1969 hasn’t been used in two years.
   Along with the committee, Mr. Fischer worked hard to get donations and for the Buy a Brick fundraiser by getting the word out by advertising through the school website, Facebook, newspaper articles, a personalized one-to-one marketing campaign and generic letters to all local businesses. Members of the committee and Mr. Fischer also attended senior citizens luncheons and events and provided letters to all local organizations.
   The committee also tried to contact previous high school graduating classes and reached out to alumni. Members raised just under $28,000.
   Some of the money will go to buy and engrave personalized bricks in a walkway so Mr. Fischer is figuring $20,000 will go toward the sign.
   Mr. Fischer wasn’t sure of the total cost, but when he was invited to one Board of Education Finance Committee meeting about a year ago, the thought was it would cost around $45,000.
   All of the bricks are engraved and are at the school. They should be installed soon and could be completed within the next week.
   ”Although hard to put into words, this sign shows you what the people of Manville are made up of,” he said. “It started as an idea that the sign needs to be replaced, and it took off from there.
   ”Everyone agreed, and even though the town was hit hard by yet another flood, the interest held, and people came together and wanted this sign. When we started, our goal was $12,000, but with everyone’s help, we quickly surpassed that, and soon we’ll have a digital sign we’ll all be proud of.”