Purple Tie: Thank You From Athletics

Darlington students of all ages have been so fortunate to benefit from a number of projects led by the Athletic Booster Club with funding provided by parents and other community members via the annual Purple Tie fundraiser, which benefits all of our parent organizations at Darlington. This blog will highlight several of these Purple Tie-funded projects from recent years!

While the Athletic Booster Club is fortunate to receive a portion of the Purple Tie proceeds each year, the Raise the Paddle portion of the evening at the 2021 event directly benefited athletics, and we were so grateful for this opportunity. Our coaches spent hours in discussion, making plans for improvement and working with our wonderful parent volunteers to prioritize our needs and wants. When the evening approached, we were excited, nervous, and a little scared as we hoped for a successful night. It was unbelievable! The generosity, care, and commitment was felt financially and resounded in our hearts.

We had a lot to do and with the Purple Tie funds, the Raise the Paddle, and the generosity of current parents Terri and Harry Pierce, we have been able to change the look of our athletic program. Below is a list of athletic improvements made possible between 2021-2023: 

• Renovated of weight room / Pierce Tiger Pit 
• Installed hand rails in Chris Hunter Stadium
• Installed electronic goal adjusters in the Johnson Field House
• Refinished the floor in the Van Es Arena and added new scorer's table, shot clocks and scoreboards
• Purchased a new gator for cross country
• Installed new volleyball standards 
• Purchased new lacrosse helmets
• Covered baseball outfield fence and purchased tarp for field
• Graded baseball and softball fields and purchased a new groomer
• Purchased new equipment for the training room
• Created a recovery room 
• Provided student admission to all state playoff games
• Provided student admission for the first ever “RUMPUS on the Road" event as we packed the gym at Coosa for a basketball game

Tom Bethel, president of the Athletic Booster Club, said, "On behalf of the Booster Club, Athletic Director Eddie Guth, and the coaches and trainers, I would like to thank you for the contributions that have allowed us to meet so many of the needs of our athletic teams. Because of your support, we are able to compete at a high level."

We are forever grateful for your support of our athletic programs at Darlington and look forward to continuing to provide the very best opportunities for our student-athletes.

Please save the date for the 2023 Purple Tie event on Saturday, Aug. 12.