Letter to the Community
Pelham Friends and Neighbors,
Friends of Pelham Sports (FPS) has recently launched a capital campaign to build a Fitness & Wellness Facility at Pelham Memorial High School.
Friends of Pelham Sports is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for both large and small capital improvements to benefit the recreation and sports communities of Pelham, and to help improve the quality of life for our youth and their families. In 2013, FPS raised and donated $1,300,000 to build the Glover Stadium Turf Field. Glover is now a hallmark of the community that hundreds of Pelham students, sports teams, community members, and recreation programs use and enjoy year-round.
Friends of Pelham Sports is once again reaching out to the Pelham community to address a critical need for our students; the high school needs a usable, up-to-date fitness facility. Fitness, wellness, and strength facilities are commonplace at nearly every local public and private school, and funds to build these centers often come from private fundraising efforts.
Creating a fitness and wellness facility in our school will benefit the entire student population, and these benefits extend well beyond the physical. Exercise has proven to have positive effects on mental health. Regular physical activity and fitness are also associated with better performance inside and outside the classroom. Strong bodies do make strong minds.
All students will have the ability to access the facility to meet their own fitness goals and needs. This space will also be an essential resource for the Physical Education Department. Pelham’s PE teachers have provided input on the equipment for the new facility, ensuring strength training and fitness will become an integral part of our physical education curriculum.
This strength and conditioning facility will also allow our student-athletes to train together. Without the ability to train with their respective teams, athletes are forced to pay for costly gym memberships and private training sessions, or simply choose not to work out due to lack of access. Training as a team will add to team camaraderie, allowing our athletes to build strong bonds and bodies.
Pelham Memorial High School has three rooms totaling approximately 2,500 square feet to accommodate the future Fitness and Wellness Center. This includes dedicated weight and functional training spaces, cardio, mobility, meditation, and group fitness. If we can come together and raise the needed funds, this center can be operational in the 2023-2024 school year.
The Pelham community has tremendous spirit when supporting our students. It is also clear that the greater Pelham community is passionate about health and fitness – we are a strong, fit, and vibrant community.
We have over 50 dedicated community members involved with this capital campaign, but it truly does take a village – or two! The time is now for this caring, and generous community to make this facility a reality for our students. Together, we can ensure that all current and future Pelicans have access to a facility that will give them the strength they need to soar!
To learn more about this effort, please visit www.friendsofpelhamsports.org or follow us on Instagram.
Thank you & GO Pelham!
The Friends of Pelham Sports Board
Kevin Alexander, Aisling Bier, John Boyce, Craig DeDomenico, Tyler Garrow, Vinny Mazzaro, Steph McGovern, Mark McKee, Frank Reese, Joe Solimine Jr. & Joanne Zabatta