ELLERBE - It may be tucked in the northern part of Richmond County, but Ellerbe Middle School will soon be the home of the newest sports complex for local student-athletes.
Construction of the new “Family of Dr. William Lawrence Howell” football and soccer field is nearing its end, as Wildcat athletes will now get the long-awaited facility that they have been without for some time. A project that planted its roots in the summer of 2016 with a simple question, has taken several people on a journey to complete the project ahead of schedule.
Christy Mabe, a former Richmond County Schools teacher and a current adjunct professor at Richmond Community College, took on the task as project manager with the help of RCS administration and outside sources. Among those who have aided in the project are Allen Adeimy (EMS athletic director), her father-in-law Wiley Mabe (RCS school board chairman), Dennis Quick (RCS executive director for operations) and Glenn Sims (RCS maintenance director).
While she was proctoring end-of-grade testing in May of 2016, Mabe was approached by former Ellerbe custodian Freddy Suggs with the idea to build a new sports complex at Ellerbe. At the time, the football and baseball teams shared one combined playing area, and the boys and girls soccer teams played their games across town at Mineral Springs Elementary School. In the past two school years, the soccer teams have since moved to Ellerbe, playing games on the baseball field area, creating logistical problems to accommodate game schedules and practices.
“I remember watching three different sports try and play on one field,” Mabe said, whose eldest son Dexter was a multi-sport athlete the past couple years. “It was a lot of work trying to get everything ready, and the (baseball outfield) fence had to be moved in order to play soccer games. I just wanted to try and get a better field for the kids.
“The school was spending a lot of money to bus kids to Mineral Springs for games and practices,” she continued. “So, we wanted to give the athletes a place on campus where all the games could be played at one place on different fields. Obviously the main goal is to help the kids. And Allen was really helpful with giving his advice and opinion.”
Noting that it has been a “difficult task” heading up the project, Mabe wouldn’t change any of it. And since Ellerbe is a small school and is sometimes unable to get the funds it needs for big projects, Mabe is now certain the students will “enjoy” the new facility.
“It’s been a hard job,” she laughed. “I’ve had to learn as I go, and it was stressful at first because I didn’t know how to be a project manager. But everyone who has been involved, from Dennis Quick and Glenn Sims, to Allen Adeimy and all of companies who have helped build the field, has been wonderful and very helpful. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with, and I couldn’t have got it done without them.”
In the spring of 2016, when Suggs approached Mabe, he had already arranged for the Howell family to donate roughly an acre and a half of their land to the school for the project. The Howells own property adjacent to EMS, and were clearing the land anyway, and the new complex is being built behind the school’s gymnasium.
Mabe, who is also the president of EMS’ parent-teacher organization, agreed to spearhead the project, but Ellerbe was in need of major funding to bring the dream to fruition. The first thing that she and Wiley Mabe did was sit down and compose a letter asking local business and residents to donate money, which she noted as being successful, as they collected various donations ranging in value of $125 to $350.
Another fundraiser that Ellerbe held was a reverse raffle in the spring of 2017, coordinated by Adeimy and Suggs. From that, roughly $10,000 was raised, with $6,000 going to the field project and the remaining going to the EMS athletics and groundskeeping departments.
However, the two biggest single donations came via a grant from Ellerbe native and current North Carolina senator Tom McInnis, and the other was an anonymous donation from a local North Carolina State “Wolfpack” family.
The grant, which Mabe wrote a letter to McInnis in July of 2017 requesting the funds, was valued at $100,000 and the school was given two years to use the money. The personal donation was also $100,000, and combined, along “with the help of other donations,” gave Mabe and the Wildcats sufficient funding to begin the project.
Webb Law Office, located in Rockingham, donated its services to assist in the land deed, and McNeill Survey and Land Planning, also of Rockingham, assisted in drawing the project’s plans, surveying the land and doing the stake work. And on May 10 of this year, shortly before school let out for the summer, J.M. Long Grading Contractors broke ground, officially beginning construction.
J.M. Long finished clearing the land, which was partially done during the Howell family’s process, and graded the field to make it even. In mid-June, Mitchell Hodges and his team from Hodges Lawn and Landscaping installed the field’s irrigation system and sod.
Members of Hodges Lawn and Landscaping install sod on the new field in June.
As explained by Adeimy, the field will be ready for the start of school at the end of August, but he’s going to hold off on using the field as a precaution until the spring soccer season to allow for the sod to plant properly and get the rest of the amenities in place.
“Obviously, I am thrilled that EMS has added a soccer facility to our existing athletic complex,” Adeimy commented. “It seemed like a far-fetched idea when it came up a couple of years ago, and to see it actually come to fruition is exciting and a testament to generosity, perseverance and vision.
“Being super excited about the new field, I am also aware at the enormity of time, money and effort it will take to make sure this field flourishes,” he continued. “There is more work to be done, and we will need funding, time, and expertise from our community to make this project be all that it can be. My plan is to play soccer on the field, with a consideration of playing football sometime in the future. We have a great facility already for football, so soccer is really the program that will initially benefit from the project.
Adeimy also added that the impact of the new complex will benefit students and athletes alike immediately.
“It will allow us to house all of our games and practices on campus, saving time and money. Soccer practices will be able to start earlier and end later, allowing more time for training and strategy,” Adeimy explained. “We hope to continue our relationship with Ellerbe Parks and Recreation, meaning that teams from our community can also use the field for practices and games.
“Having a strong recreation program will benefit our school program a great deal,” he added. “Baseball will have access to the (baseball) field everyday, instead of being displaced on soccer home games. In rare occasions, we could actually host soccer and baseball on the same day, something we could not do before.”
While the project is way ahead of schedule, Mabe noted that there are still a few more things that need to be done to make it whole. She’s currently in the process of getting estimates on six-foot fencing to run along the back side of the field (where there are woods), as well as raised netting to go behind the goals, similar to the one at Richmond Senior High School.
The plan is to use the field goal posts and soccer goals already at the school, but the Ellerbe PTO will continue to raise funds for a scoreboard and bleachers, among other needs. Mabe encourages anyone interested to contact the school to donate $125 to get on the official donor board.
“I am pleased and grateful that Christy and others have put so much effort into helping upgrade the athletic fields at Ellerbe Middle School,” RCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Goodman said of the project. “The students at Ellerbe, as well as all our schools, need and deserve nice facilities.”
As the summer break draws to a close, Mabe is excited -- and gracious -- to see the two-year project also reach its final phase.
“I’m glad it’s over,” Mabe smiled. “It’s been a long two years, but I was able to work with, and meet, some really great people. I have a new appreciation for people who are project managers -- but most importantly, I’m most excited that it’s done so I can see the kids play on the field they deserve.”
“I think the finished project will also boost school pride, and give our soccer program a home,” Adeimy concluded. “Further, more space for physical education classes, school clubs, and athletics is always good.”
For anyone interested in donating funds to help complete the Family of Dr. William Lawrence Howell Field at Ellerbe Middle School, contact EMS at (910) 582-7925.
