CARROL Edge knows it is going to take at least 18 months to raise enough money to establish a second soccer field at Tinonee.
She doesn't care. It's going to happen. The fund raising will be cathartic for Carrol, her husband and family.
For the field will be named in memory of their son and brother, Michael, who died tragically in a car accident near his home at Tinonee late last year. Michael was aged just 20, the second eldest of Carrol and her husband Reay.
He had a passion for playing soccer, particularly for his beloved Tinonee Soccer Club.
"Michael often spoke of the Tinonee Soccer Club growing and how good it would be to have another field there,'' Carrol said.
"And this is also something that will benefit the whole community - not just Tinonee or the soccer club. Michael was very community minded - he was always helping others and we think this is something that he would want.
"And it's something for the family to focus on...it helps, we're doing something positive,'' Carrol added.
Michael's brothers, Lyle, Joshua and Lachlan - who also plays for Tinonee and partner Kirsty Griffiths will be heavily involved in the fund raising. Michael and Kirsty were going to apply for their first housing loan the day after he was killed.
At Michael's funeral in December the family asked that in lieu of flowers donations go to the Max FM Christmas Train Appeal. This realised $1000, with Carrol presenting the money to the organisers just five days after saying goodbye to her son for the last time.
It was around that time that the idea to build the field was first nurtured. The Edges contacted Tinonee Soccer Club and officials immediately backed the concept.
"The additional field will allow our club to have two full-sized pitches plus a small sided field,'' Tinonee Soccer president Ray Bartley said.
"These changes will be huge for the club but even bigger for the Tinonee community. They will instill Michael's legacy within the soccer club when the new field is named in his honour.''
Michael had his first game with Tinonee when he was five and gained his first grade spurs when he was just 14.
"He was picked to play in a rep team one year but declined because it would interfere with his club games with Tinonee,'' Carrol recalled.
"He was dedicated to Tinonee Soccer Club.''
Carrol reasons the project will cost at least $150,000 and in the current economic climate that's not going to be either easy or speedy, Carrol concedes that an 18 month time frame may even be a bit optimistic.
Still, a start's been made with $2392 raised at a paintball day held recently. Michael previously worked there when it was known as Bundy's Paintball and the current owners, Glenn Etheridge and Trevor Long were more than happy to run the memorial day, which coincided with the launch of their ownership. The Edges will also see if any government funding is available while other fund raising projects are also in the pipeline.
Seven business houses are also taking donations - Eddie's Fresh Chicken, Tinonee General Store, Spotlight, Saltwater Wine, Cotton On, The Barber's Chair and the Gourmet Centerpoint Butchery while funds can be paid directly into a deposit at the Taree Branch of the ANZ Banch.
"We'll keep it at seven,'' Carrol explained.
"That's the number Michael wore on his soccer shirt. So we think that's appropriate.''
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