On Thursday, Sept. 28, the Mount Vernon Community School District will welcome guests, for the first time, to the Martha Parsons & Family Activities Complex. On Sept. 29, the Mustangs will play their first homecoming game on the Armstrong Family Field. Next spring, discus and shotput athletes will practice and compete in the Tristan Wirfs Throwing Venue.
These spaces are among several in which the Mount Vernon Community School District Foundation is honoring generous philanthropists who contributed to the campaign to raise private, philanthropic support for the district’s newest facility.
Honored with the naming of the facility, Martha Parsons made the lead gift to the project, which is also the largest donation in the history of the District and District Foundation.
Dr. Greg Batenhorst, superintendent of the Mount Vernon Community School District, shared his tremendous appreciation for Martha’s philanthropic involvement.
“In order to make this project a reality, it was going to take a lead donation from a lead donor to get things moving in the right direction,” Batenhorst said. “Martha’s gift helped make this dream a reality. Simply put, without her generosity this project does not happen. The district cannot thank Martha Parsons and her family enough for the gift for the activities complex that will now bear the name of Martha and her family. This is a game changer for our students, our school district, and the Mount Vernon community. We are honored that Martha is such a good friend to the district, and are forever grateful to her for her unprecedented gift.”
Martha Parsons was born and raised in Baltimore, Md., before relocating her family to the Midwest. Parsons has been a strong supporter both of her local community and of public-service organizations across the country. Parson’s inspiration to play such a large part in the activities complex was driven by her desire to positively impact the lives of children and a deep appreciation for this community she has called home for over 20 years. In her honor, Mount Vernon’s newest facility will be named the Martha Parsons & Family Activities Complex.
“The ability to help children in this community that I’ve called home for so many years now brings me immense pride. I believe that children deserve our very best, and I want the children in this community to know that my family and I believe in them,” said Parsons.
Ron and Bev Amstrong couldn’t agree more. Having lived in Mount Vernon most of their lives, the Amstrongs felt incredibly lucky to raise their two children in the community and to have them educated in the Mount Vernon Community School District. Ron is a proud member of the Mount Vernon High School Class of 1964 and was an All-Conference football player for the Mustangs — fond memories that led he and Bev to significantly support the capital campaign.
“From my conversations with them, it is clear that Ron and Bev believe strongly in giving back to a community that they feel has been good to them, and I am incredibly grateful that they have chosen to support this project,” reflected Dr. Batenhorst, who also recognized the example this sets for current students. “I hope our kids take the field ready to give it their all just like Ron did back in the 1960’s. And I hope our students learn to give back to others in the same way the Armstong’s have done for us.”
Giving back to others has clearly been instilled in other generations of Mustangs, too. Tristan Wirfs, Mount Vernon High School Class of 2017, is honored for his support of the project in a seemingly fitting way given his success as a thrower for the Mustang track and field team. As a sophomore, Wirfs qualified for Drake Relays in the shot put, placed runner up in that same event at state track and took home the state title in the discus. In each of his junior and senior years, he took home the Drake Relays and state track title in both throwing events. As a senior, he was recognized as the boys’ state track Gatorade Athlete of the Year — the same year he won state wrestling and played on the state-qualifying football team. The Tristan Wirfs Throwing Venue indeed seems to be a fitting way to honor Tristan’s generosity.
Signs recognizing these generous donors plus several others, including other alumni, community members and businesses, will be installed in the coming weeks and in advance of Mount Vernon’s Sept. 28 homecoming activities.