Jonathan Ruoff, Activities Director for Melrose Area Public Schools, was one of many speakers at the Dutchmen Performance Center on June 26, for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the weight room renovation provided by the Thielen Foundation.
Here are Mr. Ruoff's remarks:
Welcome Everyone,
Melrose Area schools is very blessed to have been connected to the Thielen Foundation and wonderful and faith-filled benefactors, Adam and Caitlin Thielen. I would like to start out with a huge THANK YOU! Look at this place! This awesome donation will have a lasting impact on Melrose Area Schools: our students and coaches for decades. We really appreciate your generosity and your thoughts on student development and education as your leading themes. We, at Melrose Area Schools, believe that sports are education-based activities and much learning takes place at each and every practice and event. This weight room will be a focus for our students and coaches to educate each other and help each other strive to reach their highest potential possible.
So how did this happen? Well, right time, right conversation! Ryan Moscho was having a conversation with his friend, Luke Inviess, when Luke mentioned that the Thielen Foundation was looking for a couple of schools for weight room renovations. Ryan told Luke that Melrose would be interested, and things took off from there. Melrose Area Schools met the Theilen Foundation criteria and starting in March, meetings took place. Amy Sinclair, the Executive Director of the Thielen Foundation, came out for an onsite visit. She spearheaded all of the coordination and was such a joy to work with.
Here is the timeline of the work that has now been completed:
Old Weight Room equipment moved to HS Gym on May 1st
Painting was completed on May 3rd
Branding was completed on May 29th
Flooring was installed June 16th
Mirrors were installed June 17th and 18th
Equipment installed June 18th
New Video Monitors installed on June 19th
Speaker System installed June 20th
Thank you, Amy, for your patience, confidence, upbeat attitude and great personality! We really appreciate all the work that you did to make this beautiful space become a reality. A big thank you to all that helped with this process. You know who you are!
This weight room is a learning space that our students and coaches are really going to enjoy! Thank You!
