Board Accepts Donation For New Scoreboard

The board of education approved Sept. 13 the offer of a scoreboard to be donated to the district by the Bridgewater Lacrosse Michael Bruce Fund and the Panther Athletic Club for use at the that was recently opened at the .

According to board of education member Lynne Hurley, the Panther Athletic Club had been in contact with the board, asking the district if it would be possible to buy a scoreboard for the new field. But, she said, one was offered as a donation instead.

“We were offered a donation through the Bridgewater Lacrosse Michael Bruce Fund, and the athletic club has offered to pay for the installation,” she said.

Hurley said an initial design for the scoreboard was presented, but questions were raised, and a new design was submitted.

“Bridgewater Lacrosse came back with a design that they are offering to purchase for us, so it will be done at no cost to the district,” she said.

Hurley said the Michael Bruce Fund was created in honor of former lacrosse player Michael Bruce, who died in a car accident several years ago on his way to take the SATs.

“He died at a young age, and was number eight on the team,” she said. “It is an honor on the team to wear that number. And the fund is in honor of him, and they give scholarships to lacrosse players because of character, not skill.”

But the biggest question among board members was the difference between advertising and recognition, because the scoreboard design says on it that it has been purchased through the fund run by Bridgewater Lacrosse.

“We didn’t find anything in the policy where there is a distinction,” said board of education vice president Patrick Breslin. “It is advertising on the scoreboard, but recognition in the donation.”

Superintendent of Schools Michael Schilder said there is a policy for advertising and another for naming rights on signs, but there is nothing that really makes the distinction for a donation of a scoreboard.

Board of education member Jeffrey Brookner said he would like to accept the donation, but that he does not want other organizations to assume that that means the board will always accept donated items with the recognition of where the donation comes from.

“Getting something from a charitable group is different than taking it from other groups, and I want to make sure the record reflects that,” he said.

Residents in the audience at the meeting gave a resounding thumbs up to accepting the donation, and the board unanimously approved the scoreboard coming from Bridgewater Lacrosse and the Panther Athletic Club.