Needham Bank—a longtime staple of the Wellesley community and champion of the town’s schools and athletics programs—has announced it will contribute $100,000 in matching donations to the Wellesley Field Fund’s (WFF) capital campaign to enhance the Wellesley High School Track & Field.
This isn’t the bank’s first time investing in the field fund. In 2016, the WFF raised funds to resurface the high school’s track and install a larger turf field, and Needham Bank served as the effort’s lead community partner and donor.
And now, years later, Needham Bank is again partnering with the WFF to bring to fruition further enhancements to the track and field, including:
- Dark Sky-Compliant Lighting: Designed to mitigate light pollution and improve safety for athletes attending dusk-time games/practices, and night games.
- Team Rooms: Locker rooms/bathrooms for home and away teams.
- Directed Sound System: A state-of-the-art system that reduces excess sound via proximity technology and improved speaker locations.
Joe Campanelli, Wellesley resident and Needham Bank’s Chairman, President and CEO, remarked that “having a track and field complex that allows for night games and extends the uses for our town is a win for everyone, not just the student athletes. It brings people together as players and spectators and creates a safe space for the community to gather. We’re very proud to continue to champion this project with our phase 2 gift of $100,000.”
To fund the next wave of improvements, the campaign needs to raise $1.5M in private donations. Says WFF team lead, Jerry Nigro, “Needham Bank’s incredibly generous donation not only pushes us closer to our fundraising goal, but it also signifies the importance of investing in our community. We’re so grateful for their contribution to the central gathering place for town pride in the heart of Wellesley. Every citizen benefits from this project so it is the best investment anyone can make!"
The WFF is a grassroots capital campaign backed by Community Investors—a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving Wellesley and acting as the campaign’s fiscal sponsor. While the fundraising campaign is wholly independent of Wellesley Public Schools, WFF supporters unite in helping to provide improved opportunities and resources that benefit the town’s students and community.
To learn more about this effort or to donate, visit www.WellesleyFieldFund.com.
