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LEWISTOWN – The opening night of high school football season was different this year. Sure there were fans in the bleachers, players on the field and a typical line at the concession stand.
the energy in Lewistown on this particular night was electric as the marching band filled the night air with music and the cheerleaders rallied the crowd with enthusiasm and school spirit.
Neighbors and friends stopped to talk, smiling as they admired the surroundings – a shiny new 4,2000 seat stadium which was the centerpiece of an 18.5 million dollar project.
The Mifflin County High School Husky Multi-Sports Complex was designed to level the playing field for the schools athletic teams, which have been using subpar facilities for years.
But the new facilities have meant so much more than X’s and O’s to the community.
Rhonda Kelley, executive director of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce, has experienced it firsthand.
"I had the privilege of attending the opening football game, and the sense of pride was absolutely everywhere," Kelley said. "I want to express how inspiring it has been to see the impact our new high school sports fields have already had on the community.
"I truly believe heads were held a little higher that night as people expressed their pride in what our community accomplished together," Kelley added. "It was especially moving to hear conversations among parents and alumni, including former football players who returned to celebrate this milestone and cheer the Huskies on to victory."
For Kelley and other community leaders, these new facilities are more than just fields, they are a reflection of our community's spirit, dedication and investment in the future.
"None of this would have been possible without the generous support of the sponsors and community members who believed in this vision and helped make it a reality," Kelley said. "The energy and excitement these fields have brought to our town are yet another example of what makes the Juniata River Valley such a special place."
The support of these businesses - all cornerstones in the community - are obvious as their names are throughout the complex on fields and stadiums to scoreboards and the press box as well as field houses and concession stands.
"Our student-athletes have enjoyed the facilities and it is great to see them being able to participate on a level playing field with our opponents," said Mifflin County High School Athletic Director Tish Maclay, who coached field hockey for many years at Indian Valley on a lumpy grass field. "It has allowed them to develop skills to help them be more competitive against the tough opponents of the Mid Penn Conference.
"We are very grateful to all of the donors and sponsors who helped to make the dream come true," Maclay added. "We have outstanding facilities that have become a pillar of our community."
Initial feedback on the complex has been glowing at times for Kish Bank Field at Donald M. Chapman III Stadium as well as Marcal Paper Field, school officials said.
"Many schools throughout the state have reached out to say how 'beautiful' the facility is and our community has shown up to support all of our teams," Maclay explained.
She hopes the upgraded facilities will open new doors for the school's athletic department, such as hosting district and state postseason games.
"Officials from both District VI and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) have reached out to Mifflin County High School regarding the opportunity to host upcoming playoff contests," said Mifflin County School District Superintendent of Schools Vance Varner. "It is anticipated that Mifflin County High School will serve as a host site for postseason events during both the fall and spring seasons."
School officials also hope to host band competitions, which would provide a local stage for the ultra-successful Mifflin County High School Marching Huskies to perform closer to home.
Currently, the band travels to Schuylkill County, Shamokin, Tyrone and Hershey to perform. Taking the field in Mifflin County would not enable family and friends to see the bands and other athletics without having to travel, but it would likely bring in throngs of fans from other visiting schools. Those fans would likely dine at Mifflin County restaurants, fill their gas tanks at convenience stores or even seek lodging at hotels.
"This represents an excellent opportunity to showcase our athletic facilities and the quality of our district's programs." Varner added. "While visiting the area, spectators and participants will also contribute to the local economy by patronizing area businesses and experiencing the welcoming atmosphere of the Mifflin County community."
More spectators typically translates into more revenue for business owners like Amy Oden-Bitner who runs four Dunkin' Donuts franchises in Central Pennsylvania with younger brother, Erik.
Oden-Bitner said their Burnham location on Electric Avenue, which is just down the hill from the high school, has seen an uptick in business with the opening of the new sports complex.
"We greatly appreciate the continued support of our business by our loyal customers and the community and welcome the increase in the business in Burnham Dunkin'."
Other business owners on both the Lewistown and Burnham sides of the high school complex likely will share similar stories.
While increased sales has been positive, Oden-Bitner said more foot traffic has led to problems.
"Unfortunately kids are loitering and hanging out in our store and not purchasing anything," Oden-Bitner explained. "We have limited parking as it is and the increase of people in and around the location - especially in parking lots - leading to some fights or pushing and shoving along with that we have had some vandalism and damage in our location."
There have also been safety concerns caused by electric bicyclists riding in and around the parking lot, Oden-Bitner said.
"Again, we are grateful for the increase in the business and the ability to add extra employees but, we want to make sure all of our customers have easy access to our store and able to get in and out of location and are able to do so safely without having to police the non-customer actions," Oden-Bitner added.