Update on Manchester Field Development and Town Day

President of the Winchester Field Development Council (WFDC) Paul Maganaro provided an update on the progress of the Manchester field development at Monday night's selectmen meeting. 

“As of today, we are roughly 40 days away from our June 30 deadline and we are about $92,000 away from our goal of $711,000 for Phase Two,” Maganaro said. “When all is said and done, the WFDC will have raised nearly one million dollars for the Manchester Field Renovation Project.”

The WFDC is offering a second chance to order bricks and plaques for the Pride Park structure. People will be able to purchase Pride Bricks with the names of individuals, families, loved ones, present or past coaches, teams or businesses. The deadline is July 15.

On May 19, the WFDC handed out 500 donor postcards at the transfer station. The WFDC also mailed out roughly 100 packages to potential high-end donors within the past two weeks. “This has generated positive results so far,” Maganaro said.

Two fundraising events will be held on Town Day, June 2.

The Ford Motor Co. in a joint effort with Winchester’s Bonnell Ford will conduct the “Ford Drive One 4UR School Event,” where Bonnell Ford will have several cars located in the Jenks Center parking lot. “For every car taken out for a test drive, the Ford Motor Company will donate $20.00 to the WFDC up to $60,000. So tell your friends to take a minute to test drive a car for a good cause,” Maganaro said. “Bonnell Ford will match the donation allowing the WFDC to make up to $12,000 for Phase Two of the Manchester Field project.”

Also available on Town Day will be a special Sachem cereal to be sold as a fundraiser for the WFDC. The Sachem Cereal booth will offer boxes of custom designed cereal for a $5 donation. “As of today, the $2,000 Golden Ticket which is located in on of the boxes has not been claimed yet,” Maganaro said.

“If we are successful in collecting the remaining private funding needed by June 30, the public money will be allocated towards Phase Two by Town Meeting in the amount of $200,000 will kick in. This will allow us to start construction this summer with a completion date of Fall 2012,” Maganaro said. “If we fall short of this, it is projected to take an additional six to 12 months to raise that $200,000 we would lose in public money. We are very confident that our goal will be met by June 30. We have a first and goal at the five yard line.”