Campaign underway to raise $50,000

By Sam Waller

Albany ISD is moving forward with a plan to purchase monuments honoring the Albany Lions’ three football state championships, with a campaign underway to raise $50,000 for the purchase and installation of six-foot-by-six-foot granite monuments to be placed around the sign which honors the title teams of 1960 and 1961.

Albany won its third crown in December, the school’s first win in five trips to the finals under veteran coach Denney Faith.

“When the idea was presented to Coach Faith, something he said in his postgame interview continued to resonate,” AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott said. “He said the victory was because of the people before us and the efforts they put in to make this program what it is. He definitely wants to make sure previous years are acknowledged, especially ’60 and ’61.”

Faith said there have been many steps in bringing the dream closer to reality.

“It’s been quite a process,” he said. “Coach (Ryder) Peacock has spent time making sure we have accurate and complete rosters for those ’60 and ’61 teams.”

Scott said donations may be made at First National Bank and will  be deposited into the Albany Athletic Booster Club account.

“Anyone interested can call the bank and donate $50 or $1,000, or $50,000,” he said. “Each monument is $15,000 and the other $5,000 is to take care of the installation, which includes a solid foundation. We’re not just buying little headstones.”