Board accepts donation for McPherson High School javelin runway after capital campaign raises $1.11 million

The USD 418 Board of Education voted to accept a donation and authorize construction of a javelin runway at McPherson High School after members of the capital campaign committee described fundraising progress and a large unsolicited gift.

Carol Swanson and Dr. Dana Lichty, representing the capital campaign committee, told the board the campaign began in April 2022 and initially targeted $1 million. Swanson said the campaign has funded numerous athletic‑facility improvements — LED field lights, a scoreboard, expanded grandstand seating, a press box, throwing areas for shot put and discus, and runways for jumps — and that campaign totals were $1,018,362 in donated or pledged funds as of July 1, 2025.

An unexpected $50,000 donation from George Apostol and his wife Luana specifically advanced the javelin runway goal. Swanson said the campaign now has $88,157 in cash and $7,000 in pledges designated for the javelin runway and presented a construction bid from Hutton (bid $93,529). She said the campaign’s grand total rose to $1,111,891 with the additional support. “Every entity that pledged has paid their pledge in full. This is unusual as campaigns go and speaks very highly of the McPherson community,” Swanson said.

Board action: A board member moved that the district accept the $93,529 donation for the community field capital campaign and authorize construction of the javelin runway at McPherson High School “as presented.” A second followed. After brief discussion about timing and construction sequencing, the motion passed.

Questions and clarifications: Board members asked whether the runway would displace soccer practice; campaign leaders and coaches responded that the runway is a permanent strip while the landing area is existing turf already used for javelin throws and would not displace regular soccer practices. Swanson said volunteers offered to remove two trees that would otherwise be in the flight path and that the campaign had worked with the architect and contractor on siting and design. The campaign’s representative said the design‑build contractor Hutton had been engaged throughout the campaign and would begin work once the board accepted the donation.

Why it matters: Campaign leaders said the runway and the set of track‑and‑field improvements would produce a competitive, all‑weather facility and complement prior bond‑related planning work. The board and campaign members discussed construction timing (concrete could be poured in late fall with surfacing installed in spring) and confirmed the campaign would refund funds if the board later chose not to build the runway.

Ending: The board thanked the campaign and community donors. The capital campaign committee and contractor will coordinate construction and permitting under the approved plan.