Mt. Diablo Elementary celebrates new field

A huge crowd of kids ran onto the field with excitement after the ribbon-cutting for the new field at Mt. Diablo Elementary School in Clayton on April 26.

“They were doing cartwheels, rolling on the grass, playing soccer and other games. It was a fun day,” said Jennifer Lauricella, a member of the Field of Dreams Committee.

“Such a happy day this is for our community and for our elementary school,” noted Pat Middendorf, a co-chair of the committee with Debra Gonsalves and Michele Hill.

“We hit upon the idea to renovate the field when we were walking the track for Relay for Life three years ago, and we heard many comments about the horrible condition of the track and field,” Middendorf said.

Starting with a fundraiser in January 2017, the group of parents and community members raised $370,000 for the complete renovation of the track and field. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District contributed $350,000. Work began in November 2018 on the field and a new donor plaza with marked pavers.

As Superintendent Nellie Meyer and the committee gathered on April 26, students chanted “Cut that Ribbon!” over and over again, getting louder each time. Principal Linn Kissinger rolled out the first soccer ball, and the students swarmed onto the field to play.

Meyer commented on the wonderful collaboration between the district and the community and thanked the committee members for their relentless drive. Clayton Mayor Tuija Catalano proclaimed it MDE Field of Dreams Day, congratulating all involved “for an inspiring and remarkable effort to finance and construct a safe and functional field for the benefit of our students and community members.”

“The Field of Dreams Committee can now see the fruits of their labor, and what a beautiful sight it is,” Middendorf said.