The Red Bank High School football stadium is getting a new sound system thanks to a $17,000 program service grant awarded to the Red Bank Quarterback Club by the Red Bank City Commission.
The stadium's sound system quit working after it was struck by lightning four or five years ago, said Jamie Wilkey, president of the Quarterback Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The club's purpose is to support the needs of the football team not covered by game ticket sales, which are otherwise the team's sole source of funds, he said.
The club had been renting a sound system, said City Recorder Ruthie Rohen, and Wilkey said a Quarterback Club member has been loaning speakers to provide sound at the stadium for the past year.
Storm clouds loom as lightning causes a weather delay before Red Bank's prep football game against Soddy-Daisy at Red Bank High School Aug. 17. The sound system at the school's stadium was struck by lightning several years ago, and the Red Bank Quarterback Club recently received a grant from the city of Red Bank to purchase a new system."This frees us up from worrying about raising the funds to replace it," Wilkey said of the sound system. "We really appreciate the city of Red Bank for the donation."
Mayor John Roberts said Wilkey approached the commission to request the funds to purchase a new sound system, and commissioners decided unanimously to award the grant from the city's economic development budget. Roberts noted that when people visit the stadium, they also spend money at city businesses such as restaurants and gas stations.
"The more people you bring into your town, the more people spend in your town," he said.
In addition to hosting the high school, middle school and elementary school football and track teams, the stadium is used by the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, the high school band and the Scenic City Youth Football League, said Wilkey.
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.