Harris Connect

When the Atascadero Greyhound Athletic Foundation in California was founded in 1994, the thought of funding a halfmillion- dollar high school stadium renovation was beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. Today, with the support of an involved community and an active alumni base, that dream has become a reality.

“The renovations include new lighting, bleachers, a drainage system, curbing and fencing, new long jump and pole vault runways, a new scoreboard and the centerpiece of the project - a state-of-the-art track and field facility,” said Donn Clickard, Foundation Secretary and Athletic Director at the high school. Atascadero High School’s new nine lane all-weather track and surrounding facility has already hosted the Special Olympics and will be used as the training site for the US Olympic Decathlon team.

“The project was funded largely through community and alumni contributions,” he said. “Atascadero has a long history of volunteer community pride, which was the spark that got the foundation started. We’re a one-high-school town and people rally around the school. The foundation grew out of the need for better facilities, and the realization that major improvements were only going to happen through increased involvement.” Clickard noted that to promote alumni involvement, their high school records had to be “renovated” first.

As a result, the foundation published its very first Atascadero High School Directory of Alumni, through the Harris Connect Graduate Connection® Alumni Directory Program. “We’ve found the directory to be a tremendous resource, giving us an up-to-date list of alumni names and addresses,” said Clickard. “This information played a major role in helping us reach out to graduates to spread awareness of what we were doing and of our financial needs.”

Using the updated alumni information, the foundation conducted various direct mail fund-raising and awareness campaigns to benefit the stadium renovation, as well as other smaller projects. And according to Clickard, response was more than they had hoped for. Donations came in steadily, in the form of cash and in-kind gifts, including labor and material. “The foundation received substantial contributions from individuals and classes who would not have otherwise known about the project,” he said. “It really boosted our efforts and helped us see the renovation through to completion.”

Not only did the directory prove to be an effective fund-raising tool, it also gave alumni a chance to get back in touch with one another. Clickard attributes the directory to increased reunion activity at the high school.

“We’re looking forward to the publication of our second directory, which will include valuable new information and email addresses, giving us another way to communicate with alumni,” he said. On the heels of the new directory’s publication, plans for another fund-raiser are underway, with goals to improve the weight room and renovate the baseball field.

“When our coaching staff and athletic administration first had this idea, we envisioned it as a way to supplement limited School District funds to improve our facilities,” said Clickard. “And in six short years we’ve gone from having no foundation to having a foundation and a new stadium. It’s a dream come true!”