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Groundbreaking for the new
Rehoboth Sports and Fitness Center
held November 2, 2006
The cold morning quickly warmed as the buzz of activity and expectation spread across Rehoboth Christian School's campus. On Thursday, November 2, over two hundred people joined students and staff in a groundbreaking ceremony for Rehoboth's new Sports and Fitness Center. With plans for a new gym building and soccer stadium, this will be the largest building project in the school's 103 year history.
Athletic facilities expansion has been a topic of discussion at Rehoboth Christian School for many years. According to Executive Director Ron Polinder, the new building and soccer field will come not a moment too soon for Rehoboth. "The present gym was not designed to accommodate the number of student sports programs we currently support. The current 40-year old gym is undersized and overused. Rehoboth is looking for ways for students, faculty and staff to pay greater attention to health and wellness. The new gym, soccer field, track and fitness center will help us achieve our goals in this area," stated Polinder.
To meet the needs of its students, the new 40,000 square foot Sports and Fitness Center will include three gym floors, seating for 1200, locker rooms, fitness center, and a band room. It is expected to be completed by November, 2007. The new soccer stadium includes artificial turf for the soccer and softball fields as well as a new track. The anticipated completion date for the new soccer stadium is summer, 2007. The existing Keith Kuipers Gym will be renovated and used for high school physical education classes and practices for volleyball and basketball.
The groundbreaking ceremony began with a warm welcome by Ron Polinder. He thanked the many people who helped bring the project to this point. A generous gift from the DeVos Family Foundation got the ball rolling and "Ride for Rehoboth," a cross country bicycle ride from to Rehoboth along historic Rt. 66 by Dave Hollebeek and daughter Jacquie, added to the excitement. Local businesses stepped up to the plate, either donating or providing at minimal cost, equipment and resources needed for the ground preparation. And a team of professionals from across the United States volunteered literally hundreds of hours "digging in the dirt," saving the school almost $300,000 in labor costs!
Several speakers representing various groups shared a few words. Karen Schell, Rehoboth Christian School's Board Chair, offered a prayer of blessing and protection. Gallup Mayor Bob Rosebrough spoke of Rehoboth's tradition of excellence. Alumnus, Rehoboth National Advisory Council member and Deputy Director of Navajo Natural Resources, Fred White, '73, reminisced of his own days as a Rehoboth athlete and the heartbreaking basketball game where they lost just by 1 point in the last seconds of the game. Student and athlete, Leslie Eldridge, represented the present student body and thanked the coaches, parents and other student athletes who help make Rehoboth's athletic program so successful. She also thanked the supporters of the Sports and Fitness Center, recognizing how the new facilities will take Rehoboth athletics to the next level. Mike Van Gessel, President of Rockford Construction, the firm heading up the project, spoke directly to the students. He encouraged students in their studies by pointing out the direct application of math and science in the construction of this project. Lastly, Ginny Vander Hart, Executive Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Family Foundation, brought greetings from Mr. and Mrs. DeVos and spoke of their long-standing relationship with Rehoboth. She also underscored God's faithfulness. "Often things that seem like coincidences in our lives, turn out to be God's way of showing his faithfulness to us," she said.
After the formal program, everyone moved to the building site. Forty people, including twenty-six students, a boy and a girl from each grade, gathered in the middle. Each donned a hard hat and, with shovel in hand, performed the symbolic ground breaking. The ceremony closed with a circle around this group holding hands in prayers of thanksgiving and consecration given by High School Principal Tim Stuart and Middle School Principal Carol Bremer-Bennett.
"How does the Lord get his work done? Well, sometimes he does it all by himself -- sometimes he uses just a little bit of help -- But there are times when he uses his people to do his work. He uses you, and me and all of us together to do his business!" remarked Polinder. We look forward to seeing how God will continue to do his work at Rehoboth Christian School.
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