PHOENIX, Ore--- Phoenix High School is asking the community for help raising funds for a brand-new turf field at Jack Woodward Stadium. The new field would accompany the new school building at Phoenix High School. The fund raising is part of a project called "Phoenix-Talent Rising Field."

The Pirates would like to have the new field ready for 2021 sports seasons. The new field would benefit the football, soccer, and track and field programs. 

"That has been a missing piece for a long time," said Phoenix High School athletic director Dave Ehrhardt. "We just really believe that this is going to be a part of rebuilding these communities."

According to Ehrhardt, around 500 students have either lost homes or experienced hardships as a result of the Almeda Fire in September. He says this new field would not only give them something to look forward to, but would benefit a lot of students that are not just athletes.

"It is not just football that benefits," said Ehrhardt. "Our soccer programs right now, when we have playoff games at night, we have to go either US Cellular or the Medford schools to play. It gives our marching band, which we have a great marching band program, it gives them a home to have marching band competitions. It gives youth sports a place to have an all-weather playing surface. There are just so many different things that we can leverage this and create opportunities for kids in our communities."

Ehrhardt says the new field would also contribute to the success of the sports programs by leveling the competitive edge with other schools. The new field would allow for Phoenix to have a grass practice field for when teams play on grass fields at other schools. It would also allow the players to be used to the many turf fields that are used throughout the state of Oregon. 

The cost of the field is around $750,000. So far, Phoenix High School has raised about half of those funds. 

You can donate to the campaign by going to http://getmeregistered.com/PTRisingField. 

You can also mail checks to "P-T Rising Field" at PO Box 697, Phoenix, OR 97535.