The dedication of ST Paper Stadium will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, at the stadium south of Oconto Falls High School, 210 N. Farm Road.
Former Oconto Falls School Superintendent Dave Polashek will be the master of ceremonies. Athletic Director Jerry Moynihan and Superintendent Dean Hess also will speak at the event, which will include lighting of the stadium’s lights and a ribbon cutting.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
The school district will recognize the community involvement that led to the construction of the stadium. Voters in the Oconto Falls School District in August 2014 approved a referendum that included $1.2 million for a football field and track.
Sunday’s ceremony will also recognize other stadium benefactors whose gifts were used to enhance the project — the foremost being ST Paper, which provided $100,000 for the project.
Also recognized will be the family of Dan Rider, a football coach and math teacher at OFHS from 1974-1979. The football field at the stadium bears his name. OFHS alumna Cecelia (Moynihan) Jensen and her husband, Jeff, contributed $50,000 toward the stadium in his honor.
The press box has been named after the late Gary Just, a football coach, math teacher and principal at OFHS in the 1960s and 1970s. His widow, Ginny Just, presented a $10,000 donation to the school district in his honor.
The Oconto Falls Lions Club also committed $10,000 to the project, which was used for the arched entry gate that welcomes fans to the stadium.
Local contractors who worked on the project also will be recognized.
Work at the site began last fall, and the first football game is scheduled to be played at the field on Sept. 11 against Green Bay West. After Sept. 11, all home football games for seventh grade and up will be played at ST Paper Stadium, instead of Memorial Field. The homecoming game will be played Sept. 18 against Marinette.
Moynihan said the football teams are eager to play at the new venue, and the community shares their anticipation.
“It’s been so exciting to get all the positive feedback from everyone,” he said. “I think everyone has a little bit of excitement that this is something that’s really been needed for a long time.”
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