LANCASTER, Calif. -- City of Lancaster and Paraclete High School officials joined forces Tuesday morning for the ground breaking of the school’s new football field.
The renovation project was generously donated by the Calandri family in honor of their uncle, Robert Calandri, who was a Paraclete High alum.
“He really impacted our family in a very positive way. We lost him at a young age at 24 to cystic fibrosis disease. We wanted to put the money up to replace the field to help honor his legacy and memory that he left with all of us,” said benefactor, Brandon Calandri.
In the eyes of the Calandri family and Mayor R. Rex Parris, their donation means much more than money.
“There’s a sense of community that’s growing in the city and recognition that all of our well-being is tied to each other,” said Mayor Parris.
The Calandri family said their decision to help took less than 36 hours after the condition of the football field was brought to their attention.
“This field, I’m not going to joke, was the worst practice field after 30 years of coaching that I’ve had to be on,” said Paraclete High School Head Football Coach, Dean Herrington.
For the champion football team, the field is more than just a great catch.
“The kids will be more excited to come out here and play. That’s not a joke. They’re going to be more excited to come out on a nice field. I’m ecstatic about it. I cannot wait,” said Herrington.
The family and school are hopeful that all the renovations can be finished in month, but there’s quite a lot of work to be done.
“We’re going to have dig down somewhere between 6-8 inches to remove all the crabgrass, deal with the gopher holes and problems that are here in the field. It’s quite an extensive process to replace a football field of this magnitude,” said Calandri.
Once the field is done with all of the renovations, it will be named after its benefactors, the Calandri family.