Sanford School Department

The Sanford Alumni Association dedicated several major improvements to Alumni Stadium on Friday, September 12, highlighting years of collaborative effort between the school district, technical center students, and local businesses.

"From the bottom of our hearts, the Sanford Alumni Association truly appreciates each and every one of you," Alumni Association President Shane O'Connell told the gathered crowd, recognizing the extensive community support that made the projects possible.
The ceremony marked the completion of what O'Connell described as an eight-year journey of stadium improvements, with the ticket booth representing the final project in a series that included fencing, sound system upgrades, bathrooms, pavement projects, concourse work, and picnic tables.
 

Assistant Principal Aaron Tremblay, who also serves on the alumni board, opened the ceremony by praising the collaborative spirit that made the improvements possible. "Obviously a major thank you to the Alumni Association for always answering the phone call, and I don't think they've said no yet for anything that we've asked for," Tremblay said.

The ceremony recognized three key projects: a new ticket booth, an entrance archway crafted by Sanford Regional Technical Center students, and a donor recognition board honoring supporters of Spartan athletics over the years.
The entrance archway represents a particularly notable example of student craftsmanship and community partnership.

 The project took over two years to complete, with Adam Hartford's welding program students at SRTC handling a majority of the construction work. Hartford  guided juniors and seniors through the process of building the archway to mirror the design elements seen throughout the school campus.
The Alumni Association also recognized other SRTC programs that contributed to various stadium projects over the years. O'Connell thanked the electrical wiring program led by Tim Fecteau, building trades program led by Troy Hathaway, and automotive and collision repair program led by Jason Brown for their contributions to the improvements.
Several local businesses provided crucial support throughout the construction process. O'Connell took time to recognize the extensive list of local businesses that contributed to various projects over the years.

The ceremony included special recognition for Morris Hebert and Roland Cote, two men who manned the ticket booth at Sanford High School for decades. Tremblay noted that anyone attending football games over the past 40 years likely purchased tickets from one or both of them, with Cote typically stationed at the back gate and Hebert at the front gate.

Hebert’s family requested donations to the Alumni Association in his memory, raising over $10,000 from contributors worldwide, including a $1,000 donation from Japan. These memorial funds helped launch the ticket booth project.

 "The alumni association is a strong force that I would put up against any alumni association in the entire state," Superintendent Matt Nelson said. "Our alumni can accomplish a huge project like this because they care deeply about kids and the Sanford community and giving back.”    

The evening concluded with the unveiling of a donor recognition board featuring contributors who supported stadium improvements over the past 15 years. The board features replaceable panels, allowing for future recognition as the Alumni Association continues its work on campus projects.