The Campaign for the Millburn Sports Activity Foundation "The Turf Games Begin - Phase 1 and Phase 2  -COMPLETE!!!!  THANK YOU. Our Mission, Vision and Success Our mission is to raise private funds to revitalize, enhance, create multipurpose athletic facilities in Millburn Township. Our vision is to provide quality sports facilities that will support the growing athletic and recreational needs of our entire community while encouraging athletic opportunities for our children on par with expected standards for Millburn's educational excellence. The impact of out efforts is clearly demonstrated by the successful completion of our premier campaign - installation of a new synthetic all purpose turf and new track at the Millburn High School. It has proven to all that we hoped for - providing a safer environment for our children and increasing our usage to a near constant basis. The new field has been in use most week nights until 9 pm and every weekend, morning afternoons and nights. Fall sports have used it extensively - from our high school football, soccer, and field hockey teams to our recreation football and soccer programs and clubs. Beyond the safer environment and immense use, we have seen the other benefits hoped for as well. Availability of the turf field has had a "ripple effect". in past years, the football field has had limited use as we tried to maintain its quality for varsity games. With the new turf field, this space can now be used at all times - with several high school sport practices/games moving to this area, back field and other field availability has increased for other programs. The new field and track has been a source of community pride. Families, clubs, and businesses in Millburn Township came together to contribute $1.75 million in 6 months. We have seen the benefit for our children and to our town pride. The demand for this field, along with ongoing issues of availability and overuse of the grass fields, has shown that synthetic fields provide immense benefits, but also has shown that more has to be done. VISION In a thriving active sports minded community, recreational and athletic space is at a premium in Millburn. There is not enough field space to accommodate the continually increasing number of boys and girls in the town who would like to participate in recreational and school sports. Additionally, our adult activities - use of the track and fields for softball, etc. - have been impacted as more and more field time is scheduled for recreational and interscholastic sports. One of the fundamental beliefs of our Foundation is the importance of sports for enhancing the academic and personal development of our children. Whether it is through the school sports, the recreation department programs, or club sports, the character and physical development that comes from sports help provide a strong compliment to the outstanding academic development our township provides. Providing quality facilities and improving the access and utilization of our of our facilities will clearly improve the athletic experience and enhance the academic and personal development of the children. SUCCESS - PHASE 1 & 2 COMPLETE A new track and turf field were installed on the Stadium field!   1~ Installing a 2nd all purpose synthetic turf field, new softball diamond and re-graded freshman soccer field- $900,000    Current designs place this field in the area of the current field hockey and softball fields. By placing the field in this location, it will allow is to not remove any current grass field located in the back area. While this field will again be all purpose, the permanent lines on this field will be for field hockey, girls' lacrosse and soccer. Further the specific turf make up will be eared to support field hockey and girls' softball.   The scope of Phase 2 is exciting and is in line with the mission and goals of our foundation. It will provide new synthetic surfaces and improved grass fields. It will support our softball, field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse.  This support will go beyond our high school programs, and support our recreation department programs, our lacrosse and soccer clubs  and softball programs. It is our belief that this Phase will go even further than the first phase in improving the utilization of our fields in the Township. IF WE WERE TO RAISE MORE THAN $900,000, MONIES WOULD GO TO THE REMAINING PROJECTS~ Gifting of Grass fields Maintenance Plan/schedule including the first year of Maintenance and corresponding equipment - Our Foundation has met with several companies whose focus is on grass fields. There are a wide variety of options to improve the stability and durability of grass fields. Even with the amount of extreme use placed on our fields and limited maintenance budgets with tin the township, it is our belief that improvements are possible without excessive expenditure. With Phase 2 , our Foundation will contract with a grass field specialist firm to develop a Maintenance Plan/Schedule. We will ask this firm to evaluate our usage, budget capabilities, and current conditions, and recommend a month by month plan of maintenance steps, recommended seeding, fertilization and soil. MSAF will the gift the first year of maintenance as well as the purchase of recommended equipment (ie. aeration). by providing a detailed plan and corresponding equipment, it is our hope that the Township and BoE will be able to continue the maintained plan within the current budgets - still providing more durable fields for our children at high level use.