With a $25,000 grant from the Rasmuson Foundation, Principal Schwan thinks the community fitness center will finally be a reality.
Dillingham High School is getting new workout equipment for its gym, which may open the way for a community fitness center in town.
Audio transcript:
Dillingham High School Principal Bill Schwan has been searching for grant money to purchase the new fitness equipment since the previous fall. He got some good news last week: the Rasmuson Foundation decided to chip in $25000. With that, Schwan thinks the new gym will become a reality. In fact, work has already started.
“We’ve already taken the wall out of the room, we’re going to be cleaning that out. That equipment that’s in there right now will be sold at the Superintendent’s sale in order to make room for the new equipment.”
The current gym has a few weight machines and free weights, according to Schwan that’s actually better than most rural schools.
“What we’re lacking is the cardio stuff, treadmills, elliptical, bikes.”
He isn’t sure what form it will take yet, but Schwan envisions the new equipment as part of a new public fitness center for residents of Dillingham.
“We get a lot of feedback from adults in the community that, ‘we wish there was a place to go’. We’ll have to see how that goes. I am not sure what the hours, and stuff, are going to be exactly, yet.”
He says the project also received funding from Peter Pan and BBEDC.
“We’re going to move forward next week as soon as we get the check. Right now we’re looking to fund the shipping cost because that’s going to be about $8,000.”
Schwan says if anyone wants more information or to help with covering those shipping costs, he can be contacted at the school.
Contact the author at matt@kdlg.org.