BY TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The Silver M Club in Merrill is introducing engraved pavers that will honor all Silver M’ers at Jay Stadium.
The project, which began at Jay Stadium at Merrill High School (MHS) last week, involves “replacing some deteriorating concrete squares with pavers that will eventually be engraved” with the names of each Silver M’er, Silver M member and project coordinator Jay Wicke said.
“Every Silver M’er will be recognized by the time the project is complete,” he said.
SGS Environmental Contracting of Merrill donated machinery and labor to remove the existing concrete squares. Silver M’ers and other volunteers installed 1,750 plain brick pavers, including MHS Varsity Football Coach Jason Wadzinski and players Aiden Lonsdorf, Carson Brooks, Russell Gruetzmacher, Mikal Plautz, and Micah Plautz. Peterson Sand and Gravel, Dale Bergman and the Merrill Area Public Schools buildings and grounds crew, brick layer Dave Barney, and MHS Fab Lab Director Josh Zalewski also helped with the project.
The MHS Fab Lab will engrave the bricks, beginning when school starts and working on the bricks as they are able. There are 18 extra bricks to begin the initial engraving. When they are complete, volunteers will remove 18 plain bricks and replace them with the engraved bricks, and so on.
Ultimately, all Silver M’ers, both alive and deceased, will be represented with an engraved brick on the walkway, Wicke confirmed.
When asked the total current number of Silver M’ers, he said: “We currently have 857 members on our mailing list.”
The Silver M Club was formed in Merrill in 1944. MHS Varsity Football players who letter in the sport go on to become Silver M’ers 25 years after they letter. The Club also recognizes Varsity lettermen at the 50- and 75-year marks. Players become Golden M’ers after 50 years and Diamond M’ers after 75 years.
When the new turf was installed, a silver M was placed at midfield and silver M’s were placed on the field at the 25-yard lines along the sidelines. Silver M’s are also located at the NW and NE corners of the outside fencing at the stadium, and golden/diamond M’s mark the 50-yard line, Wicke said.
The Silver M Club is fundraising to pay for the cost of the bricks. To date, $1,900 has been raised, Silver M Club Treasurer Tom Barker said.
To donate toward the project, checks may be mailed to: Silver M Club bricks, PO Box 805, Merrill WI 54452.