Booster Club leads effort to improve stadium entrance

Parents and supporters of the Albany Athletic Booster Club gathered at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning to give the front entrance a much-needed facelift ahead of football season.

The group focused on the rock entrance and surrounding area, which had grown weathered and overgrown since last fall. Bushes and trees were trimmed back, flower beds were cleared, and the hackberry tree near the gate was removed. Volunteers also power washed the rock wall, fence, and sidewalks to remove a heavy layer of dark grime that had built up over time. The cleaning revealed the original lighter stonework and gave the front entrance a brighter look.

Once the trimming and cleaning were complete, the group repainted the gate and metal fixtures around the entrance. What started as a two-hour project stretched longer as the volunteers decided to keep working after seeing the difference their efforts made.

Booster Club president Kristie Smith said the turnout may have been small, but the impact was significant. “We had a few dedicated, hard-working volunteers who were excited to help,” she said. “We cleaned out flower beds, trimmed shrubs, cut down the hackberry tree, power washed the rock, cleaned sidewalks, and repainted the gate and fixtures. We had planned to work for two hours, but once we started and saw the results, we wanted to keep going. We hope to make this an annual event.”

With the work completed, the stadium will have a fresh look when the Lions host Stamford on Friday in their season opener at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.