Multiple signers
To the editor:
Friday, Oct. 18, and the Hopewell Valley Central High School Homecoming football game were smash hits.
A boisterous crowd of almost 3,000 people reveled in the unusually warm October evening with a full moon and cheered Hopewell Valley on to victory.
But there were a number of other victories worth cheering that night beyond the one shown on the scoreboard at Ackerson Field. The fact that the high school has football teams is a victory. The school did not field a football team for 70 years and now proudly fields varsity, JV and freshman teams.
Football is not the only program that’s grown though. There were three other very visible wins. First, there are far more cheerleaders now than 11 years ago when football was reintroduced. Second, the marching band is significantly larger, and, third, we now have a sizeable Flag/Dance Squad. It’s exciting to see more participation by more of our students and more opportunities for them both now and in college.
A very visible triumph is the venue where the celebration took place. Ackerson Field is a victory of teamwork, determination and broad community spirit. Clearly, Mike Ackerson, Ackerson Contracting, went far above and beyond!
The community response to the fundraising effort of the Recreation Foundation was equally impressive. That the field could be constructed and Astroturf installed in just over a year from concept to completion is a huge success and a shining beacon of pride for the entire high school and community.
For the first time in anyone’s memory, we now have visiting spectators who have facility envy. A number of communities have asked how the Hopewell Valley accomplished this miraculous feat. The lights installed this fall add immensely to the ambience and the functionality for both the school teams and recreational leagues.
There were a number of recent alumni at the game, and they viewed the field with a combination of pride and wistfulness wishing they’d had the opportunity to play on it before graduating.
And, yes, one more benefit to the community as a whole both socially and economically. Almost 3,000 people were out together on a Friday night socializing, enjoying themselves and each other and patronizing our local restaurants and pizzerias after the game.
This year’s Homecoming was especially poignant with many “wins” for so many people who contributed and who use the great new facilities. All of Hopewell Valley should stand tall and be proud. There’s more school spirit than ever before, and that spirit is reflected in the community that made it all possible.
Recreation Foundation
of Hopewell Valley
board of trustees
Brian Barr
president
Hopewell Valley
Soccer Association
Brad Brewster
former president
Hopewell Valley Lacrosse
Kim Bruno
former adviser
Hopewell Valley
Youth Advisory Council
Jon Butler
national executive
director
Pop Warner
Little Scholars Inc.
Steve Faber
president
Hopewell Valley Lacrosse
Tom Gallagher
former president
Hopewell Valley
Soccer Association
Greg Myers
Friends of Hopewell
Valley Lacrosse
Lew Pepperman
co-managing
director
Stark & Stark
Patrick Ryan
chairman,
Hopewell Valley
Community Bank
John Savas
Hopewell Valley
Baseball/Softball
Association
Scott Stanton
president
Hopewell Valley
Pop Warner
Sheryl Stone
former chairwoman
Hopewell Valley
Municipal Alliance
Kurt Vollherbst
Hopewell Township
Recreation
Advisory Committee
Phil Volpe
president
Hopewell Valley YMCA
Cynthia Wiley
Hopewell Valley
Central High School
Gridiron Club
