7-15-05 ACTON -- High school football coach Tim Jorgenson is taking a trip this summer to the South in his quest for Friday night lights.
His goal is to return with stadium lights he found on eBay for a campus of 600 or so students in need of a morale boost, the kind Friday night football brought to Vasquez High School last year when Jorgenson rented lights.
Vasquez High, on a stretch of desert just off the Antelope Valley Freeway, is made up entirely of temporary buildings -- the gym is in a giant tent now padlocked because it doesn't meet state standards. Voters have repeatedly voted down bond measures to raise money to build a permanent school, but the students have persevered, pitching in to beautify their campus.
Jorgenson saw how nighttime sports built spirit not only at the school but in the community.
"The first game, we had 1,500 people here," he said. "Some of them had never been to a game before and had a lot of fun. It became the thing to do on Friday nights."
In a never-ending quest for equipment on eBay, Jorgenson hit upon 10 towers of 15,000-watt stadium lights and became one of two bidders on the fixtures. The lights were discarded as surplus by Georgia Tech, which recently renovated its stadium.
"We were the winning bid at $12,250," he said. "Overall, the project with installation and materials is going to run $19,000."
Jorgenson passed the word among students, parents and business owners that he had found the lighting to preserve the new Friday night tradition. He's got $6,000 cash in hand and several promises for more donations.
Bottom line, the school is getting lights at no cost, spare the light bill, which Jorgenson is negotiating with Southern California Edison.
"We rented four generators last season and spent about $4,000 for lighting the games," he said. "Now, we've got tower sponsors at $2,500 and pole sponsors at $1,500 and people can even buy a light for $50. There will be plaques on each pole with a little grid so people can see which light is theirs."
When school board members asked what would happen if a light went bad, Jorgenson said he had that covered.
"We'll ask the sponsor to come down, and say, 'Here's a bulb for your light; would you fix it please?" he joked. Jorgenson said the lot includes 186 lights, and Vasquez needs just 40 (4 towers, 10 lights each), so spares will not be a problem.
Now he's bound for Georgia to pick up the light heads so he can make sure they get to Acton, each in one piece. Poles will be shipped out, and installation is expected to be completed in time for the 2005 football season.
Jorgenson said he consulted a lighting expert who said the lights were a good investment.
"I've already checked with the state, and as long as we keep them below 35 feet, they won't have to issue any permits," he said. "We've got electrical lined up and volunteers to focus the lights once they're up. We've got donated concrete and when we need the cranes to put the poles up, all we have to do is call the guy with the crane.
"We've even got the men's soccer team interested in playing under the lights. We asked the girls' team, but they said it would be too cold."
The light poles will be installed in concrete casings sunk 6 feet into the ground, but Jorgenson said that the lights could be relocated should funding for a permanent high school be secured.
"Athletics is a great motivator," he said Thursday night at a meeting of the Acton-Agua Dulce School District school board. "It's a cosmetic improvement to the campus that will have a benefit for the entire community."
Those who wish to donate toward the project can call Jorgenson at the school, (661) 269-0451, Ext. 517.