New timing/diving system purchased for PHS pool

PLYMOUTH – A dedication will be held at 5:45 p.m., Dec. 17, at the Plymouth High School swimming pool for the new electronic timing system and six-lane printout board for the pool.

Sandy Seifert, 2009 chairperson for the Girls’ Swim and Dive Team Booster Club, informed school board members at their monthly meeting Tuesday that the new PHS timing system fundraising was a success.

“To date $31,105 was raised,” she said. “This is $4,250 more than needed.”

The additional funds will be used to add an event heat line on the printout board, a lap top computer to operate the system and pool benches.

Seifert informed The Review Wednesday that the new timing system was part of Mike Slagle’s 2008 wish list. The PHS athletic director, Slagle has coached the girls’ swim and dive team for the past 31 years.

“He shares this list each year with the Booster Club moms, and we take it from there,” Seifert said.

“Last year, when he mentioned that the program could use a new timing system and the $30,000 price tag for it, I remember looking at co-chair Nancy Connor and saying, ‘Sure, we can do that. It will only take 10 years or so to raise that amount of money.’”

However, with $1,300 raised last year, the rest of the funds were raised in less than one month this year. On Sept. 19, the Boosters contacted several local community members and businesses, seeking their assistance.

“By Oct. 3, I sent an e-mail to all of the Boosters. It read, ‘Timing system mission complete. Congratulations, and thank you,’” Seifert recalled.

Through a groundswell of support from local community members, parents of swim and dive team members, and businesses, the group came up with the funds.

“I believe this mission is the perfect example of what happens when involved parents, school and community work together to support our students and their achievements,” Seifert said. “It was amazing to see how quickly the news of our mission spread throughout the school and community and how quickly everyone responded.

“The 2009 Girls’ Swim and Dive Team Booster Club members would like to thank the entire community for their generous support,” she said. “We plan to highlight and individually thank all gold, silver and bronze donors at the dedication ceremony.”

Seifert commended members of the Girls’ Swim and Dive Team Booster Club for raising the funds so quickly. “The 2009 PHS Girls’ Swim and Dive Boosters gladly accepted the challenge,” she said.

Slagle noted that the present timing system for the pool had been installed in 1983 and has been defective for quite a while. The new system is slated to be installed Dec. 1.

“I am very excited,” he told The Review Wednesday. “It is pretty fantastic that within less than a month of making phone calls and talking with people, the Girls’ Swim and Dive Team Booster Club raised all of this money.

“Sandy Seifert spearheaded it, and things fell into place,” Slagle added. “Everybody pulled together. “This is pretty fantastic.”

Clare Sedlacek, coach of the PHS boys’ swim and dive team, addressed the board last month about the new timing system. She said she is humbled by the outpouring of private and corporate donations.

“It’s unprecedented how members of the community stepped up to the plate,” she said. “This is due to people seeing a need.”

Sedlacek said that one reason the funds were raised so quickly is due to community members being aware of Slagle’s dedication to sports. “He gives so much to the community,” Sedlacek said. “He helps in every sport.”

The top donors toward the new timing system and printout board were Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, $10,000; Julie and Chris Gentine, $3,000; and Karen and Mark Rhyan, $2,500.

And Plymouth Community Education increased its initial donation of $3,700 to $5,000.

Numerous other donors contributed $50 to $500.

“All the donations are very important, and we are grateful to all who contributed,” School Board President Mark Rhyan said Wednesday.

Superintendent Clark Reinke read extensive lists of donors’ names at the past two school board meetings, extending gracious thanks from school district officials to all donors.

Sedlacek informed the board Tuesday that a donor board will be installed on the north wall of the pool balcony. “It will list the donors’ names,” she said. “We want to say ‘Thank you.’”