For five months, the halls of MLS have been relatively silent. What a blessing it is to hear students’ voices back on campus! The start of a new school year looks a bit different this year, but what has not changed is our trust in God to bless our school and foundation.
Over the summer we began a new fiscal year at the foundation. It is a good time to reflect on all the blessings God has given us over the past year. We are so thankful for donors who help us achieve our mission of supporting MLS and its students!
As soon as work was able to resume, quick progress was made on the new press box, concessions, and restroom facility. The underground electrical and water lines were run, and now the walls are being constructed!
Other News from the Foundation
Our gift card fundraising program, Shop with Scrip, has a new mobile app called RaiseRight. You can find all your favorite gift cards in the app, and your purchases help the foundation support MLS! There are lots of e-gift cards available (called ScripNOW) so you can email a card to your favorite student.
It’s hard to believe that October is over, and we are setting our clocks back this weekend as we head into the busy holiday season!
There have been many changes on campus these past few months. We installed new, safe bleachers for both the visitor and home sides of the athletic field. We are preparing for the next phase of the Big Backyard project, which will include a permanent press box, concessions stand, and restrooms. These will all be a great improvement to the campus of Michigan Lutheran Seminary. The MLS Foundation is thankful for the many generous donors who are making this project possible!
November also marks the kick-off of our annual Student Need Fund campaign called Light Up a Student’s Life. Every year in November and December, gifts to the Light Up a Student’s Life campaign support financial assistance for students attending MLS.
Those who give to the Light Up a Student’s Life program have an opportunity to make a gift in honor of, or in memory of, a special person. These gifts will be recognized by the lighting of a large Christmas tree in the commons. This year we were able to purchase a new 9′ tree, thanks to a Thrivent Action Team grant! For each $10 gift, a white light ornament will be placed on the tree with the name of the individual being honored or remembered. We will also send a Christmas card to the family or honoree recognizing your caring gift to MLS and its students.
At their October meeting, members of the MLS Foundation board of directors approved grant funding for three projects on campus. Gifts to the greatest need allow the MLS Foundation board flexibility to fund these special items when requests are presented from faculty and staff.
We are pleased to provide shirts for members of the VIP group. These students assist with move-in day and giving visitors a taste of what it’s like on campus. They play an important role in encouraging grade-school students to consider attending MLS for high school.
Grant funding was also approved for a set of portable disc golf goals. These will primarily be used for 9th and 10th grade PE classes, but students will also be able to check them out for use after classes and on weekends.
Recently the student body mourned the loss of the 31-year-old ice cream machine in the cafeteria. It was a sad day on campus when the machine stopped working. Because it was so old, the parts were no longer available. The foundation board approved funding to purchase a new machine – just in time for the open house and Cardinal for a Day events that were held on October 25. The visiting grade-school students were thrilled that they could have ice cream with their lunch!
It’s hard to believe, but summer is nearly over and classes began this week at MLS. As we begin another school year, we reflect and thank God for the blessings He has given the foundation and Michigan Lutheran Seminary. More information is available in our annual report.
The home bleachers are now installed on campus, and they look great! We are excited for this improvement to campus, which will provide safe and comfortable seating for all who attend outdoor events at MLS.
The next phase of the Big Backyard project includes a permanent press box, a concessions area, and restrooms. Learn more and watch for updates on our projects page.
We have finalized plans for this year’s Homecoming Tailgate Party, and you’re invited! Join us under the big tent on October 4 for food, fellowship, and fun! Many reunion classes are planning to join us. If you are planning a reunion at homecoming, contact us and we will reserve your class a table together.
If you purchase gift cards for gifts or for your regular shopping, consider ordering them through the foundation to earn donations on every card you purchase! Physical cards are available as well as electronic gift cards that can be immediately delivered to your email address (or sent as a gift to any email address you specify).
A recent update includes the ability to easily link your bank account for payments and the ability to pay online with a credit or debit card. Using a card or instant payment means that your electronic cards will be delivered instantly – with no waiting for us to process your order!
Contact us for details and to get started with Scrip!
The concrete base for the bleachers is being poured today. We are looking forward to the safe, new bleachers that will eventually be installed on top of this base! #MLSBIGBACKYARD
Last week marked a big change to the athletic field – the press box was demolished to make way for the new bleachers, press box, concessions area, and restrooms.
As you can see from the photos and in the video, the roof was in bad shape. It didn’t take much to knock down the structure! We are excited for these much-needed updates to campus, which will provide safe seating for spectators and a safe & comfortable area for press and announcers to view the games.
The foundation is so excited for the next phase of the Big Backyard project to begin! The MLS maintenance staff has begun careful demolition of the press box to make way for installation of the new press box (which will include restrooms and a concessions area underneath) and new, safe bleachers for the home section.
This project is being supported by the MLS Foundation’s generous donors, so it does not have an impact on the school’s normal operating budget. The project is being broken into phases which are being completed as funding becomes available. The first and second phases involved the office consolidation and replacement of the visitors’ bleachers.
Most everything is moved upstairs, and our former office is already being converted into a new faculty meeting space. We are still having trouble with our phones, so we appreciate your patience while we sort that out. Visit the About Us section of our website for alternative ways to reach us during this time.
It’s official – we are in the process of moving our office upstairs. While we don’t expect much disruption to our normal office functions, please be aware that there may be a brief period of downtime while our phone lines are transferred to the new office.
Special thanks to the MLS maintenance staff for their help with the entire Big Backyard Project and especially with moving all our boxes and furniture! (Can you find Ed hiding behind all those boxes?)
Now that the MLS office consolidation is nearly complete, the next phase of the Big Backyard Project has already been started!
The visitor’s side bleachers are being removed today to make room for new, safer replacements. Watch for more updates, coming soon!
Foundation Office Move
The walls have been painted, the carpet has been installed, and we will be moving upstairs next week! Please be aware that this may affect our ability to answer phones and email on Wednesday through Friday as we work to transfer everything to our new space.
Watch for another announcement once we are settled in!
The carpet has been removed from the former business office, and the preparation of the office space is moving along quickly! The foundation should be moving upstairs sometime in late February or early March. Watch for further updates!
“We look forward to improving the environment of MLS, where students learn and grow in their faith.”
Big Backyard Project
Josh’s Update
We continue to make progress with the Big Backyard project. It is exciting to see the improvements and changes that are being made.
The office consolidation portion of the project is nearly complete. The faculty and administration are moving into their new office space and work areas as I write this update.
Gifts continue to come in, as we have received over $130,000 (as of 12/28/2017). Many donors have set up monthly pledges to support the long-term scope of the project.
We continue to gain momentum and are hoping to finish phase one in the spring/summer of 2018, which would include new bleachers and a press box for the athletic field.
We trust that God will continue to bless the efforts of many. We look forward to improving the environment of MLS, where students learn and grow in their faith.
Many of you know that, as part of the Big Backyard project, the MLS business and administration offices are being combined in a central area near the Hardin Street entrance.
As of today, the MLS Business Office has moved into their new location. However, this also means that there is currently nobody available to let visitors in through the Court Street entrance. If you are planning to visit the MLS Foundation and wish to enter through the Court Street entrance, please call ahead (989-793-7511) so we can meet you upstairs and open the door. Otherwise, you may enter MLS through the main administrative entrance on Hardin Street (near the Martin Luther statue).
The MLS maintenance staff will soon work on a few updates to the Court Street office. Once those updates are complete, the foundation will begin the process of moving upstairs. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause in the interim.
A sneak peek at the furniture that will be installed in the former office of the foundation, to turn it into a faculty meeting room and work space.
We call it the Big Backyard Project because, while it involves updates to the athletic field area, it will impact student life in a broader sense. For the students who live in the dormitories, this is their backyard – their outdoor space to play and enjoy their free time. The backyard area is used for many activities including physical education classes, recruitment events, football games and practices, poms practices and performances, graduation activities, intramural sports, softball games and practices, and much more. Two-thirds of the student body participate in a sport in the big backyard (football, poms, softball, intramurals, etc.). All ninth- and tenth-graders are required to take physical education classes, which also utilize the backyard area. Tens of thousands of hours are spent on the MLS athletic field area during the year, by athletes, students, families, visitors, and friends.
Who decided what should be accomplished with this project?
In 2015, the MLS Policy Councilwhich is comprised of the President, Vice President, Dean of Students, Registrar, Athletic/Extracurricular director, Admissions Director, Campus Environment coordinator, and Business Managerestablished a list of pending needs that would likely be difficult to address through budgetary means. After establishing the list, and thorough evaluation and discussion, it was prioritized to determine the order in which the needs should be met. President Petermann then established a facilities review committee made up of several faculty and staff members. This committee was tasked with further evaluating the capital needs on campus and reviewing the priority of those needs. We have worked on many internal needs that were on their earlier lists such as; moving around the administrative office; establishing wireless internet service throughout the school and dormitories; one-to-one computing (a computer for every student); a new phone system for the school; replacement of the dorm furniture, heaters, windows (as needed), carpet, and paint; new TV screens throughout the building to create a display system that will keep students and visitors updated and informed; and repair of the outside gate area that encloses the athletic complex. The next priority is to begin work on the exterior. Bleacher replacement (for safety and capacity reasons), outdoor bathroom facilities and other projects have now reached the top of the priority list and have been organized into tiers to be accomplished as we are able.
The maintenance staff working hard, moving desks
What’s the status of the project?
The office consolidation portion of the project is nearing completion. The flooring has been installed and furniture is being moved into the new space. Once that phase is complete, the MLS Foundation will begin the process of relocating to the office space near the Court Street entrance that is the current home of the Business Office.
The MLS Governing Board recently approved moving forward with the development of a design that addresses bleachers, field surface options, restrooms, concessions, storage, and other concerns. An engineering firm that helped with the office consolidation portion of the project is preparing a proposal with our current priorities in mind.
Shouldn’t the MLS Foundation focus on supplying funds for student assistance?
We want to help support MLS in as many ways as we can and providing student assistance is just one way in which the MLS Foundation helps students at MLS. This 2017-2018 school year, the MLS Foundation has committed to providing $100,000 of student assistance. Through the generosity of many donors who established and contribute toward endowed scholarship funds, the foundation is able to provide over $20,000 annually in scholarships to students continuing their training for ministry at Martin Luther College. This will continue to be a major focus as the costs of education continue to rise.
Is this the same thing the WELS Ministry for Christian Giving contacted me about?
The WELS Ministry for Christian Giving (MCG) is carrying out an individual appeal to support MLS in a threefold manner. The gifts received through the WELS appeal will be used for student financial aid, capital projects, and to build up MLS reserves to protect against enrollment fluctuations. The MLS Foundation is participating with the WELS MCG in two ways. First, the foundation has committed to providing $100,000 annually in student financial assistance. Second, the foundation is providing support for capital needs at MLS through the Big Backyard project.
Why are the bleachers shown only on one side?
The graphics in The Big Backyard Project brochure simply reflect that bleachers need to be addressed, along with all of the grass and playing surfaces. During the design process, we will have the opportunity to evaluate a number of issues that will ultimately result in final configuration and locations of the bleachers, the football field, the softball diamond, practice areas, and other elements.
Why are people talking about artificial turf? Isn’t that too expensive?
Each year, MLS spends about $35,000 in labor, material, and equipment to maintain, repair, and stripe the athletic field. Installers and users of artificial turf fields have indicated that appropriate annual maintenance costs approximately $5,000 each year. The most significant cost related to an artificial surface is the need for replacement. Estimates vary, but it’s reasonable to expect that an artificial surface at MLS would have a life cycle of at least 12-15 years, and likely longer. Another element of artificial turf that cant be ignored is the reduction in concussions and joint injuries. Unlike the astroturf of old, which was little more than thin carpet over concrete, current systems utilize a layered system of sand, synthetic strands of grass, and varying thicknesses of granulated rubber, which creates a stable, cushioned surface. Many medical professionals consider this a significant improvement over natural grass, which can be uneven, slippery, or hard, depending upon the conditions. Right now, the students’ practice area is very small. If they had artificial turf, they would be able to practice on the playing field without worrying about ruining the grass surface – and they would have more space available for practices.
Why does MLS need an auxiliary gym?
The gym is used by our basketball, volleyball, poms, and wrestling teams, as well as baseball and softball during inclement weather. During various times of the year, especially the winter, the current gym is used for practice times until after 10:00 in the evening. Not only is practicing that late hard on coaches and players alike, it requires commuting students that live as much as 30 or 40 minutes away to go to school all day, stay around for practice, and not get home until 11 or later. In addition, the lack of available gym time makes it very difficult to offer open gym time and intramural leagues for other students.
How long will this project take?
Quite simply, the duration of the project will be driven by the interest and support of our MLS donors, as well as the actual cost of the various projects. As funding levels are realized, and actual costs determined, schedule targets and updates will be generated.
How are things progressing since the initial rollout of the new project?
There is definitely a buzz and excitement around the overall scope of the project. The response has been good. Many donors have made commitments either monthly or yearly to ensure that we continually have funding to meet the goal of the overall project. There has also been an influx of new donors wanting to support this project. We have noticed over the years that some donors have preferences to what they like to support. For example, some donors like supporting student need/assistance, some prefer supporting capital projects, while others don’t really have a preference and just give to the greatest need. We appreciate all of our donors and the gifts that help us fulfill our mission of supporting MLS.
What if I have more questions?
We encourage you to contact Josh Wakefield at the MLS Foundation by calling 989-793-7511, or by emailing jrw@mlsem.org.
