Newtown High School sports fans have a chance to leave their legacy while supporting Nighthawks athletics.

Hawks Nation, the school-wide booster club at Newtown High, is doing a fundraiser, selling tiles to be installed around the snack shack at Blue & Gold Stadium. A fundraiser titled “Leave Your Legacy” has been launched by Hawks Nation and runs through May 1. Community members may honor a student, family, team, or business to be a part of the permanent structure at the top of the bleachers that currently houses the announcer’s booth and snack shack at Blue & Gold Stadium.

The 4x8 inch tiles are $100 each and will be installed around the face of the snack shack; there are currently tiles on the wall next to the snack shack from previous fundraising efforts. Those interested may visit the fundraiser link at newtownhawks.com to order a tile. There is a maximum of three lines of text, and each line cannot have more than 20 characters.

“We are excited to resurrect a fundraiser from the booster club’s past. We are selling tiles that will adorn the Blue & Gold Stadium snack shack and become a lasting legacy for the participants. The proceeds will go towards our continued effort to support all of our student athletes and coaches in their pursuit of greatness on and off the field of play,” said Hawks Nation President Andy Sachs

Hawks Nation was launched in 2024 with a goal of supporting all athletic teams at NHS. In addition to Sachs, the board includes Vice President Todd Piccuillo, Treasurer Stephanie O’Leary, Secretary Krista Rekos, and Members at Large Julie Laughlin, TJ Garvin, and Marybeth D’Amico. Hawks Nation generates support via memberships and local business sponsorships, as well as fundraisers.

The boosters have supported the following teams: baseball, gymnastics, dance, girls’ and boys’ basketball, softball, field hockey, swim and dive, Unified Sports, track and field, ice hockey, indoor track, and girls’ and boys’ lacrosse.

Hawks Nation created a request form for the coaches, and its board can approve a purchase and provide reimbursement. Coaches from any team — boys or girls, any level — may request something that will benefit their team. Hawks Nation officials approve as many as they can based on funds available and how the equipment benefits the team, while trying to evenly provide for both girls’ and boys’ teams.

Examples of some purchases: softball screen, hockey jerseys, lacrosse nets, sports equipment for Unified Sports, cross country watch timers, girls’ basketball practice jerseys.

“We launched Hawks Nation to try to ensure that all Newtown High athletes and teams feel supported, not just by the school and athletic department, but by the greater Newtown community as well. Many local businesses have generously signed on as sponsors, and we also look to current NHS families and alumni to help support the cause as well. As education budgets get tighter and tighter, we hope Hawks Nation can provide funding that helps fill in the gaps,” Piccuillo said.

“They have been instrumental in assisting many of our teams with things the athletic department’s budget cannot support. We have an extremely dedicated group of parents who are continuing the work done by the Blue and Gold booster club years ago. We are very fortunate to have them, especially with a budget situation like we have in Newtown. I think all the coaches would agree they are going above and beyond to help our kids and our programs,” Newtown High Athletic Director Matt Memoli added.

People may visit newtownhawks.com (Hawks Nation – Champions of NHS Athletics) for information and to donate/become a member. Additionally, any local businesses that would like to donate may send a message to nhshawksnation@gmail.com.

Hawks Nation’s largest local business supporter to date is Ingersoll Auto of Danbury, which generously gifted money for a large tent for any team to use outdoors during practices or games. An example of how the tent is used: It can protect score keepers from the elements (rain, sun, or snow). Ingersoll has also provided money to support some of the requests received from head coaches for equipment for their teams, and contributed to the back field project.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.