Berns Field Moving Ahead with Memorial, Lights

The new additions to Sam Berns Community Field are moving along nicely according to a new report from Business Manager Bill Yukna.

Speaking at a recent school committee meeting, Yukna said the next portion of the project is a rectangular concrete patio in memory of Berns, with a granite S in the middle. The area will also feature a 30-foot flag pole and a picture featuring the late Foxborough High School student’s likeness. The construction of the flagpole and pouring of the first concrete section were scheduled to take place last week.

A beloved member of the community, Berns gain notoriety when the HBO documentary Life According to Sam chronicled his battle with progeria. Berns passed away at the age of 17 in January 2014.

Lighting is also expected to get done within the next couple of weeks once National Grid supplies the power according to Yukna. A shed located near the backstop of the former baseball field will house the controls for the lights.

Finally, the concession stand, an aspect of the field that Superintendent Debra Spinelli called one of the most important, has $25,000 in funds raised. Unfortunately, the stand will need triple that amount according to Spinelli.

“We need new ideas or some really generous donors to come forward and help us with our concession stand project,” Spinelli said.

If built, Spinelli said the stand can be used to raise revenue for groups and will allow the town to rent the field, which they currently cannot do.

“As soon as the stand is built the revenue you will see for the rec department, for the town, for the various user groups is going to really take off,” she said. “That’s my goal to get us to the point where we can make money off the turf field, but we don’t right now.”