The Blanche Gridiron Club Has
Many Projects Now Underway
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The Blanche Gridiron Club was established in 2005 to support the football team at Blanche School. The club is off to a great start and is ahead of schedule on their 5-year progress plan. The Gridiron Club has already installed an irrigation system and new lights for the football field. The lighting, a $35,000 project, was completed in part with help from the Bank of Lincoln County. In the early 1960’s several families of Blanche Community donated $100 per family to purchase lights for the football field. Now 45 years later, the Blanche Gridiron Club members have signed for the purchase of new lights for Cooper Field. |
Crews from Mac’s Crane Service and Fayetteville Public Utilities install new lights at Jim Cooper Field at Blanche School Tuesday, August 1. (photo by Bobby Malone) |
“Without the help of Mr. Charles Gleghorn, president of the Bank of Lincoln County, this would not have been possible,” said Blanche Coach Scott Woodfin. “Mr. Gleghorn came to our meeting about the new lights. He liked the way we were making progress and offered us an interest free loan with some incentives to help us along the way,” Woodfin added.
“It’s really amazing what this community is able to do. Our first meeting we had some goals that we wanted to achieve on a 5-year phase. In one year we have finished two projects, the lights and irrigation system. That’s really awesome for a club in its first year,” Woodfin said.
The old bleachers and press box will come down at the end of the season. The Club’s next project is the construction of new bleachers, press box and a new scoreboard for Cooper Field.
The Blanche Gridiron Club members are also giving away three Bluetick Hound puppies at three home football games this fall. One puppy will be given away on August 22, one on September 12, and one on October 9.
The six-week-old puppies will be U.K.C. (United Kennel Club) registered Bluetick Hounds donated by former Blanche Coach Jim Cooper. The sire is Cooper Blue Mac, a 2005 World All-Around Coon Hound Champion, and the dam is Tim’s Blue Penny.
Donations may be made to any Blanche Gridiron Club member for $3 or $5. Proceeds go to projects of the Blanche Gridiron Club.
The next meeting of the club will be Thursday, August 10, at 7 p.m. at Jim Cooper Field. All Blanche Bulldog football fans are encouraged to participate in the Gridiron Club.