The Maddie Potts Foundation is requesting a total of $250,000 from the towns of Richmond, Hopkinton, and Charlestown through federal pandemic recovery funds. The funds are needed to cover the increased costs of their planned fieldhouse due to pandemic-related shipping issues and increased prices of construction materials. The foundation’s board member, Melissa DeJoseph, wrote a letter on behalf of the organization asking for $83,333.33 from each of the towns’ American Rescue Plan Act funding. These funds will be used for the purchase and installation of an HVAC system, plumbing, and electrical needs. All funds requested will help offset the growing costs of the project, estimated to increase by at least $400,000 due to COVID and other factors affecting the supply and demand of construction materials. While the council cannot make any promises, they encouraged the foundation to reach out to them and forwarded the request to their staff for further consideration and analysis.
The Maddie Potts Foundation formed in honor of Maddie Potts, a high school senior who collapsed and died from a brain aneurysm during a soccer game in September 2017. Despite COVID-19’s economic impact, the foundation has remained determined to construct the Maddie Potts Memorial Field House at the Chariho High School campus. They embarked on the project with an estimated cost of $600,000 that has now increased to $1.2 million due to inflation and building costs that skyrocketed since preliminary estimates were provided. The field house, expected to be completed in May 2022, will encompass over 3,000 sq. ft. of space and will include an indoor restroom, a locker room, a private officials’ locker room, an updated concession stand, and a centrally located ‘Maddie Mentality’ atrium. The foundation hopes the towns will consider their request as this project will benefit all three communities for years to come.