SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/663418
STMA IN ACTION News from the Sports Turf Managers Association 40 SportsTurf | May 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com NFL field managers and event sponsors donate to SAFE D uring its 10th annual NFL Sports Field Manager Symposium in March, the Foundation for Safer Athletic Fields for Everyone (SAFE) was designated the event's charity. SAFE's mission is to enrich communities through championing safe, sustainable sports and recreation fields for all athletes. It is also the charitable arm of STMA. The symposium's sponsors donated $3,600 to SAFE. Sponsors include Covermaster, ProSeeds, Syngenta, Toro, Turface Athletics and World Class Athletic Surfaces. Individual NFL field managers and their employers are also making pledges to SAFE. "We appreciate the generous support of the NFL field managers and the sponsors of this event," says Jay Warnick, CSFM, SAFE's Chairman of the Board of Trustees. "These donations will go directly to fund our education for parents and volunteers about safe playing surfaces for young athletes." Drawing more than 70 sports turf managers, the meeting includes representation from NFL groundskeepers, administrators, and college academia. Although not sponsored by the NFL, the meeting promotes direct communication between the NFL Operations department and the field managers of each team. The SAFE Foundation was established in 2000 to fund research, educational programs and scholarships geared to the sports field profession. SAFE is a 501(c)3 charity; most donations are tax deductible. To date SAFE has awarded $250,000 in scholarships, grants and travel grants to students. In 2015, SAFE rolled out its video series, "Sports and Recreational Fields, Safety-First." These videos provide easy to follow instructions for field users, parents, and volunteers to assess the safety of sports fields for baseball, softball, football, soccer (for natural grass and synthetic turf) and the facilities that surround the fields. These free videos and safety checklists can be downloaded at SAFEFields.org. SAFE raises funds primarily at the STMA annual conference from a golf tournament (sponsored by Diamond Pro), bowling event (sponsored by FIELDS Inc.), silent auction (sponsored by Pioneer Athletics), live auction, and raffles. At this year's conference in San Diego in January, SAFE raised nearly $50,000 from these events. Three of STMA's chapters, New England STMA, Southern California STMA, and the Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization also made significant donations this year. A new grant is being developed to honor a former SAFE Board member, Leo Goertz, who passed away in 2015. He worked tirelessly on SAFE's auctions and other programs to insure they were successful fundraisers. The grant is being funded for 10 years by Pioneer Athletics. SAFE offers two other grants, the Gary Vanden Berg Internship Grant, and the Terry Mellor Continuing Education Grant, which is funded by Turface Athletics. Two of SAFE's scholarships are named after Dr. James Watson, a long-time green industry researcher and consultant. These are funded by the Toro Foundation. Depending upon its annual resources, SAFE typically funds eight to 10 scholarships per year. In addition to Warnick, the SAFE Board of Trustees includes: Mike Andresen, CSFM, Scott Bills, CSFM, Jon Butler, David Houseknecht, Sarah Martin, CSFM, Nick McKenna, CSFM, Craig Potts, CSFM, Chad Price, CSFM, CFB, Doug Schattinger, Paula Sliefert, John Sorochan, PhD, Chris Sperry, and Steve Wightman. STMA's CEO Kim Heck serves as SAFE's Executive Director and is a voting member of the Board. To help make fields safer, make your tax-deductible donation at SAFEFields.org. Rare sighting At the recent New England Regional Turfgrass Conference & Show, held in Providence, RI, all four current STMA Founders Award recipients were in attendance and posed together for this rare opportunity. From L to R: Michael Goatley, PhD, Virginia Tech, Harry C. Gill Memorial Award; Ben Polimer, Town of Weston (MA), Toma Golden Rake Award; Mary Owen, University of Massachusetts Amherst, William H. Daniel Award; and Michael Buras, CSFM, Longwood Cricket Club, Dick Ericson Award. Donations will go directly to fund our education for parents and volunteers about safe playing surfaces for young athletes.