Cor Jesu Academy hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new outdoor sports complex on Oct. 16 at the school. CJA administrators and the fundraising board for the Do It With Heart campaign — which raised funds for the project — broke ground on-site while CJA students watched and cheered.
“These fields will help us to build community. These fields will be a place where we can gather as a school community, cheer on our friends and fellow students and play on the fields,” CJA President Susan Marie Krupp said. “It’s about investing in our young women, strengthening Cor Jesu for generations to come and ensuring our campus reflects the excellence of (our) young women.”
The project will include the construction of an eight-lane track, multipurpose turf stadium with lights, a softball field, eight new tennis and pickleball courts, a reimagined turfed front field, press box, locker rooms, concessions, bathrooms and spectator seating to fit 1,000 attendees.
The Do It With Heart campaign is still collecting donations toward its $13.1 million fundraising goal. According to CJA’s Director of Marketing and Communications Christin Connors, $11.7 million of that amount has already been raised.
“Most importantly, I’d like to thank our generous donors, without whom this would not be possible. You have so many people, ladies, who … have a great respect for you and want you to be the best person that God has called you to be,” Krupp said.
The Do It With Heart campaign was led by a board of 12 individuals — many of the women being CJA alumnae. These board members were Krupp, CJA’s Director of Institutional Advancement Brittany Peek Seabaugh, campaign chairs Tom and Jennifer Etling, Rob and Andrea Fischer Funke, Tim and Carrie McMahon Probst, Dean and Cindy Fox Stutte and Jeff and Stephanie Monnig Hoelscher.
Construction is set to begin in early November and be finished by the summer.
