LC-M uses helicopter to dry football field

From LC-M ISD -

All of the rain in recent weeks has created soggy football fields all over southeast Texas. With the University Interscholastic League Marching Contest scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School, the muddy conditions could present a problem  for all of the marching bands in Region X scheduled to perform in tomorrow’s contest.

According to LCM Director of Bands, Kevin Stone, “UIL Marching Contest Chairman, Val Rose, and I walked the field, looking for problem areas. It’s a safety issue, to have approximately 2,000 students on a field with areas that can be slippery if not dried properly.” To speed the process along, Stone and LCM Director of Maintenance, Phillip Matthews, lined up KUSA Aviation, from Nederland, to help dry the field by helicopter.  The pilot hovered back and forth across the field for two hours, to speed Mother Nature’s process along. Hopefully, a north wind and sunny day will also work in the bands’ favor.

There have been a few calls from those who have seen the helicopter hovering over the field, wondering if their tax dollars are being used for the process. The answer is that this unusual drying process is being paid for through the Battlin’ Bear Band’s activity funds; money that comes from various fundraising efforts, not from state funds or tax dollars.

The contest runs from 9:00 a.m., beginning with 1A schools and the last 4-A band is scheduled for 6:45. The LCM Battlin’ Bear Band will march at 5:45 p.m.  The community is invited to attend. There is no charge and the schedule can be viewed on the LCM website, www.lcmcisd.org, on the homepage under LCM News.