Citizens of Troup County have been discussing a new scoreboard for Callaway Stadium, which is used by all three local high schools and LaGrange College, for months now, but as of Tuesday, that discussion has turned to action.

The Troup County Board of Commissioners voted to accept funding for the new scoreboard at its regular meeting, but just as notable as the approval is the fact that the majority of the funding for the new fixture will come from local businesses.

According to information released to the Troup County School Board and the Troup County Board of Commissioners, the scoreboard will benefit far more than just high school and college athletes and their fans. The scoreboard will be more like a movie screen that can show crowds close-ups of the graduates who cross the stage in that stadium each May, family friendly movies and a big screen view of other happenings on the field.

When the school board initially discussed the purchase, some citizens rightfully questioned if the $373,193 scoreboard was a wise choice of use for tax dollars that many consider to be exclusively for education. Sports are a passion for many, but education is essential.

That is why we think it is so significant that local businesses and organizations stepped forward to donate the majority of the funding for the project. In doing so, they removed the pressure from the school board to choose between  a piece of equipment for the sport that encourages many student athletes to maintain good grades and the equipment that will help those same students learn.

We know from talking to people from these businesses in the past that many of the men and women who made the decision to donate have personal ties to the high schools and regularly give to their alma maters as their way of investing in youth in the community.

It is because of this investment in Troup County’s youth and future that the school board only had to spend $50,000 for the scoreboard. That is still a lot of money, but it is still an investment in local students who hope to see their faces on that big screen, as well as the families who will enjoy quality time together on future movie nights at the stadium.