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Ripon High athletes may soon run on 5,573 tires
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RIPON – How many tires diverted from a landfill would it take to make for an all-weather track surface at Stouffer Field?

Try 5,573.

That figure was provided at Monday’s Ripon Unified school board meeting from the Ripon Community Athletic Foundation.

 “California Track and Engineering had been helping me with those numbers,” said Stephanie Hobbs, president of RCAF.

She had hoped that a grant thought to be $150,000 would help fund the track resurfacing. “I was extremely disappointed – it turned out to be $17,220 for us,” said Hobbs, who is estimating at least another two years to install the track.

Meanwhile, the work continues.

Her husband, Vince Hobbs, had been putting in 80-hour work weeks since the actual work began on May 25.

“I was practically living in the (Ripon High) stadium,” he said.

After taking the past three weeks off, Vince Hobbs returned to work this week. He has an electrical inspection coming up along with the installation of the new flag pole.

“It will be higher than the previous one and on the (Highway 99) freeway side of the stadium next to the new scoreboard,” Stephanie Hobbs said. “It will also be lit.”

The donated flag pole was made possible via collaborative effort involving the Ripon Veteran of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

RCAF is aiming for the shot put pad and the jumping pits to be completed in time for the track and field season.

The non-profit organization is currently seeking sponsors for Rina’s Run 5K and Half-Marathon event scheduled for May 11. RCAF is working on getting sponsors, with a goal of $45,000 by the Jan. 15 deadline.

“We’ve come so far with $1 million in installed improvements,” said Stephanie Hobbs. “It would be a shame to have the last $45,000 keeping us from finishing strong.”

The upcoming Rina’s Run – the biggest annual fundraiser for RCAF – promises to once again be a big success. Included will be a finish-line party / health faire inside the stadium.

For information on Rina’s Run or to make a donation, call Stephanie Hobbs at 209-599-6861 or log on to www.rcafsite.com.