Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor:

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Salmon River Retiree, Beverly Griffin, is publishing a book entitled “And Then There Were Girls’ Sports: A Scrapbook dedicated to the past, present and future female athletes at Salmon River -1964 to 2010.”

The proceeds from the book are dedicated to the formation of the new Salmon River Girls’ Athletic Foundation!

The Salmon River Board of Education and the Salmon River Central Athletic Hall of Fame are assisting with the publication of a book that has been written by Beverly Griffin on the history of the girls’ athletics in the Salmon River School District. Ms. Griffin has asked that any proceeds that are gained beyond the cost of the publication of the book be used to form the development of a Salmon River Girls’ Athletic Foundation.

The book is entitled “And Then There Were Girls’ Sports: A Scrapbook dedicated to the past, present and future female athletes at Salmon River -1964 to 2010.” Money from donations for the publication of the book will be sent to the Hall of Fame. Please note on the check that the donation is for the Girls Athletic Foundation. The deadline for donations is August 31, 2011. If you have questions, please call Bev Griffin at 483-4112 or Mike Sisto at 358-4892 or Kim Russell at 358-3197. We would appreciate all donations by August 31, 2011 so that the donor names and businesses can be placed in the book prior to publication. Please mail donations to Salmon River Central Hall of Fame at P.O. Box 442, Fort Covington, NY 12937.

The Salmon River Girls Athletic Foundation is being formed to provide girls with summer sports training opportunities and to support the Salmon River Girls Athletic Programs. The intent of this Girls Athletic Foundation will be to support student programs that are in grades 7-12. Funds that are acquired beyond the cost of the book’s publication will be dedicated to a variety of projects that are necessary to support girls’ athletics at Salmon River. For example, some of the funds could be used to purchase equipment for girls programs at Salmon River. Funds could also be used to help girls who are in need of assistance to attend summer sports camps.

The Salmon River Central Hall of Fame has agreed to accept donations for the Girls Athletic Foundation. Proceeds will go for the publication of Ms. Griffin’s book. The funds will be placed in the Girls Athletic Foundation, a special fund within the Salmon River Central Hall of Fame. Please make checks payable to the Salmon River Hall of Fame with a note for the “Girls Athletic Foundation.”

Individuals and businesses may make donations to the Salmon River Central Athletic Hall of Fame for the publication of the book in different categories. Business donations will be published in the book along with the names of individuals who make personal donations. The donation categories are:

Spectator $10 Donation

Modified $15 Donation

Junior Varsity $20 Donation

Varsity $25 Donation

Section X Champion $50 Donation

Regional Champion $100 Donation

State Champion $200 Donation (Business card size ad.)

College All Star $300 Donation

Professional All Star $500 Donation (A business would get ¼ of a page.)

Olympic Athlete $1000 Donation (A business would get ½ of a page.)

Olympic Champion $2000 Donation (A business would get a full page.)

Background information on Beverly Griffin

Bev Griffin began her career as a physical education teacher with the Salmon River Central School District in the fall of 1964. During her tenure with Salmon River, she initiated and developed many changes in the athletic department.

In 1968-69 she started a basketball program which she coached on the varsity and junior varsity level for 5 years and continued in the varsity level for 4 more years. She started a modified girls’ basketball program which continued for 4 years. In 1969-70 she started a girls’ varsity swimming program which she coached for five years. In 1969-70 she started a girls’ varsity track and field program which she coached for 16 years. In 1970-71 she started a girls’ varsity and junior varsity soccer program which she coached for 6 years. In 1977-78 she started a girls’ cross country program which she coached for three years. In 1977-78 she started a girls’ indoor track program which she coached for 6 years. The indoor track team became a co-ed program after the first two years.

During this time frame, coaches ran a sport program for three years, without pay, until interest was proven in a sport. Ms. Griffin moved on from coaching some of these sports when Salmon was able to fill coaching positions with qualified coaches. This allowed Ms. Griffin the opportunity to continue to pursue other initiatives for the athletic department.

Track was Ms. Griffin’s favorite sport and this prompted her and a business partner, who was an ex-athlete and, at the time, NYS Girls’ Track and Field Chair, to run a track camp at Camp Dudley in Westport, New York for 10 years. Coaches for this track camp were either Olympic coaches or athletes.

Ms. Griffin retired in the spring of 1997 with 33 years of service to the district and has been retired for 14 years. Her interest and dedication to girls’ sports at Salmon River continues and is evident in the extensive time and work she has volunteered to showcase the history of girls’ sports at Salmon River.

Kim Russell