By Nancy Gutierrez
Exeter Union High School will receive a new all weather track thanks to the generosity of the Exeter Community Health Fund. ECHF was formerly the governing board members of the Memorial Hospital in Exeter. After the hospital was sold to Kaweah Delta the board was dissolved and ECHF was formed with the purpose of settling the affairs of the hospital.
"Our treasurer, Kelly Gentry, put a lot of work into resolving the remaining business of the hospital," Leon Ooley said. "We had to pay off all of the bills and, if we had a surplus, we would start distributing funds to the community."
Their first distribution was $312,000, made out to EUHS for construction of the all-weather track. The check was presented to the EUHSD Board and administration by members of the organization at a mid-year work-study between the high school and elementary school districts.
Ooley approached then board president, Mike White about the ECHF's interest in donating the money to build the track at Monarch Stadium. White told Ooley that the cost for an all-weather track was very high, but Ooley said ECHF was committed to providing the full amount to the high school and creating a lasting memorial for the district.
The new track will be accessible to the whole community and comes with security lighting for evening activity. Following the presentation of the check, EUHSD board members voted to go out to bid for construction of the track.
