HUNTERSVILLE — Since exceeding a $500,000 challenge match in June, Christ the King High School has continued to get closer to its initial capital campaign goal of $3.5 million. To date, the “Grounded in Faith – Building our Future” campaign to build a new Athletic and Activity Complex has received $3.28 million in gifts and pledges, including a $1 million lead gift and a $500,000 challenge match from a current Christ the King family.
When the first fundraising campaign goal of $3.5 million is reached, the school will move ahead with expanding its gymnasium to include a full-sized court and two cross courts, plus increasing seating from 120 to 690 spectators.
Also included are men’s and women’s locker rooms for home and visiting teams, coaches and trainer offices, space for a fitness center and a new main entrance from the school lobby into the gymnasium, which will also serve as an awards gallery.
“Apparently there are no ‘dog days of summer’ here at Christ the King,” said Principal Dr. Carl Semmler. “We are entering August with almost $3.3 million pledged towards our new Athletic and Activity Complex. We are well within sight of our level one goal. I am confident that the ‘back to school’ excitement will bring us to our $4.5 million level two goal. This will enable us to build the stage area, with all of the accompanying audio/visual, along with our athletic areas.”
Once the first two levels are achieved, then the campaign moves on to its final level three goal of $5.5 million.
Semmler said he “keeps on thinking about the summer day when the Fulfords (George and Pattie Fulford of Huntersville) came to see the current gym and learn about the designs for the new complex. The Fulfords are the visionaries who built the current gym. They were so elated to see how much the school has grown and were in full support of expanding the current Fulford Athletic Building.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. Christ the King High School contributed.