BAY CITY, MI - A recent act of vandalism left organizers at the St. Stan’s fairgrounds and athletic facilities devastated.
“It was pure destruction,” said Brian Phillips, president of the St. Stan’s Athletic Club.
The press box and everything that was in it was absolutely destroyed this week. According to a social media post by the St. Stan’s Polish Festival organization, which calls the grounds home, the windows that overlook the football field were broken and everything that wasn’t screwed down was thrown out of the windows onto the bleachers and destroyed. The post also stated that one of the food trailers that the group uses at the annual summertime festival was also destroyed.
Phillips said that the PA system, which was wired into the wall, was ripped out and smashed. He added that the vandals pulled all of the lights out of the ceiling and threw them out of the window. He said that his rough estimate right now is sitting at about $20,000 to $25,000 worth of damage.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do ahead of us,” said Phillips. “And then on top of it, we’ve got to put the festival on.”
Phillips said that the vandalism will not stop the St. Stan’s Polish Festival, which is scheduled to be held from June 23 - 26 this summer.
“The festival is still a go,” he said. “We’ve just got a little more thrown on our plate to add to the busyness of the upcoming season.”
However, Phillips is concerned about upcoming sports seasons. The grounds are home to the Bay City All Saints football team and the Bay Area Youth Football League. The All Saints baseball team also uses a barn on the property for its inside batting cages, which was also damaged in the incident. The fall high school football season is of particular concern to Phillips.
“I know it’s a little bit away but we’ve got to revamp the entire press box, we’ve got to get new lighting, new electrical, a new PA system,” he said. “Usually the contractors are about 8 months to a year out so we’ve really got to get on the ball and get this going.”
Phillips said that he is guessing that the damage occurred on either April 25 or 26. The damage was reported on Wednesday, April 27. There were no cameras set up to catch images of the vandals but Phillips said that exterior surveillance cameras will be installed shortly.
Organizers are working with law enforcement to try to find the culprits. According to Phillips, the Bay County Sheriff’s Department is looking into the issue along with school resources officers with Hampton Township and Bay City public safety departments.
“We’re hoping that the word will get out and if it was a school-aged kid that somebody will come forward or we will be able to find them,” said Phillips.
Because of the extent of the damage, Phillips said that prosecuting the culprits is definitely on the table.
“This is just pure devastation and it’s just out of pure hatred and not kids just being dumb, you know.”
Donations towards repairing the damage can be sent via check to the St. Stan’s Athletic Club. Donations can be mailed to the Parish Center at 2501 John Solinski Drive in Bay City and addressed as C/O St. Stan’s Athletic Club/Brian Phillips.
“Other than that, if anybody would like to help out with like some time donation, any materials or anything, they can just feel free to contact me and we can set up a time and date,” he said.
Those looking to donate time or money are asked to call Phillips at (989) 482-6587.
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