By Jondi Gumz
When Aptos Junior High students return to school in August, they will find their gym, the home of the Sea Dragons, looks bright and new.
That’s because the Aptos Sports Foundation put together a project to paint the gym — bright white with a Mariner blue wave — and recoat the floor this summer.
This is the handiwork of Paul Bailey, who heads the Aptos Sports Foundation, founded more than 30 years ago, John Marinovich, a foundation director, and Larry Ingram, a parent who owns Vulcan Coatings and Aptos St. BBQ.
Plus Sonny Chavez, paint sales rep at Kelly Moore at the Rancho Del Mar shopping center.
Such a job could cost $40,000 to $50,000, according to Marinovich, who sells scoreboards and videoboards to school districts and in his spare time, volunteers as “project manager” for the Aptos Sports Foundation’s efforts to upgrade school facilities in Aptos.
It wasn’t on the “to do” list of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, which has 19,000 students attending schools in Aptos, Corralitos, Watsonville and Monterey County.
But Ingram, whose son graduated from the junior high in 2021 and his daughter in 2022, noticed the grey cinder block walls in the gym and offered to do the painting at cost.
Painting is underway.
Once the walls are done, the gym floor will get two coats of Vulcan Surfacing to give it polish.
People in Aptos take pride in their school facilities, which function as community centers, Bailey observed.
Aptos Little League plays at the junior high field, and Aptos Youth Basketball Association, a recreational league, uses the gym.
Ingram, by the way, is the one who came up with “Aptos loves Aptos,” the heart motto for the Aptos Sports Foundation.
“The relationship between the school district and the foundation is extremely important,” said Marinovich, noting all projects must comply with regulations.
When Ingram walked into Kelly Moore with his credit card ready to buy 40 gallons of paint. Chavez, whose kids also went to Aptos Junior High, told him, “We’ll take care of that.”
Ingram’s reaction: “Super-generous.”
Not all communities respond that way.
“That’s the community donating to the school,” Bailey said. “That’s what gives me goose bumps.”
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Aptos Sports Foundation plans a fundraising poker tournament at 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at Seascape Golf Club. To sign up or to support the foundation, see https://www.aptossports foundation.com/
Photos
Painters make progress at Aptos Junior High painting the gym white with a blue accent. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
Larry Ingram with the new Mariner wave that will give the Aptos Junior High gym a bright new look. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
John Marinovich (from left), Larry Ingram and Paul Bailey at Aptos Junior High, where the gym is getting a major facelift courtesy of the Aptos Sports Foundation. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz