The Bishop Kelly Campaign reached another milestone today as work crews started on the outdoor stadium bleachers and press box project.  Crews began dismantling the original wooden bleachers and steel substructure to make room for the new all aluminum bleachers, which feature seatbacks in the center section and black and gold kick plates. Seating capacity will be 2,100.

In addition, a four room, 384-square foot press box will be added. The facility will be known as the “Harvey and Margo Neef Media Center.”  Rooms will be available for the home team spotters, the visiting team, announcing team and the press.  There will be a fenced crow’s nest for photographers and web-casting camera crews.

The project is part of Phase II of the Bishop Kelly Campaign and follows the renovation of 17 classrooms, a biology lab, art room, and plant improvements last summer.  The campaign has generated more than $8 million to date, some of which will fund the stadium upgrades for outdoor student activities.

The Bishop Kelly Campaign began in 2005 with the creation of a Comprehensive Strategic Plan to improve the physical plant and grow the Bishop Kelly Foundation’s endowment.  Faculty, students, parents, alumni and supporters participated in the planning process of the campaign.

The original bleachers, built and installed by a group of parent volunteers in 1966, have served the needs of the BK community for 42 years. Gerald Wilkin, who along with his wife Jackie put all their sons and daughters through BK, was the original project leader. He had help from other well-known family figures, such as Tom Tillotson, the late Dick Dooley, and others.

Wilkin designed and welded the bleacher supports in his Meridian shop and spent evenings and weekends with his volunteer crew, which included two of his sons, Denny and Dick. Denny still assists the football program as part of the chain gang. Dick, a teacher in Twin Falls, was the school’s first player to earn a D-I football scholarship.

The first football game for the old bleachers was a 24-14 win by the Knights over Payette in September of 1966. BK played its “home” football games at Meridian Speedway in 1964 and 1965.  A track meet on May 8, 2008 was the final event for the old bleachers.

The new bleachers will ready for a cross-country/football combination event on Aug. 30th.  BK hosts its 3rd annual Jimmy Driscoll 5K Alumni Walk/Run and the Jimmy Driscoll Invitational Cross-country Meet.  The Alumni 5K Walk/Run starts the day followed by the invitational meet.  At 12:45 Bishop Michael Driscoll will bless the new bleachers and honor those who built the original bleachers and thank the lead donors who enabled building the replacement.  The Knights host Central Catholic from Portland for its season opener. Kick off is at 1:00 p.m.  The boy’s varsity meet will finish on Driscoll-Dooley Track at halftime.

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