LITTLE MOUNTAIN, S.C. — A non-profit organization in Chapin called Screaming Eagles Special Needs Athletics is still working towards building their own athletic facility.
Screaming Eagles explains they purchased 34 acres in downtown Little Mountain, including about six acres that are cleared of trees so far. The group tells News 19 they broke ground on the project two years ago. Today, you can see slag, trenches and an irrigation system.
The local non-profit is working to build an estimated $10M athletics facility including soccer, baseball and utility fields. The group has already received donations of over $170,000 for this project.
"The folks that came in to help us clear the land initially did that at no cost. That was probably well over $500,000 that was spent here on taking out trees, moving in dirt, bringing in heavy equipment to come and help us get where we are today," Jenny Bowers, Screaming Eagles president said.
Bowers tells News 19 the effort to get money for the project is ongoing. They just raised about $60,000 within the last few months thanks to a large generous donation and their first ever banquet in June.
"It's been beyond a blessing. More than I could ever describe," Bowers said.
She explains this will help pay for an announcers box, concession stand, restrooms, a scoreboard and dugouts. Eventually, long-term, they would like to add an indoor facility, adult day care facility, country store, agricultural fields and a pasture for farm animals.
Board member and parent Jillian Carnahan explains this is a project her son Jonathan will greatly benefit from. Jonathan has cerebral palsy.
"Being a parent of a special needs kid means not always being able to go out and join sports, join activities, be apart of clubs and this gives our athletes and the community a place to bring our kids where they belong," Carnahan said. "This is something that he looks forward to every single season. Every day he wakes up and asks is this a screaming eagles day."
In the coming months, Bowers tells News 19 more irrigation, sod and fencing will be added.
Screaming Eagles leaders explain their dream is to have the facility complete in the next five years.