The YMCA of Selma-Dallas County is one step closer to having its own soccer fields ready for competition.

Earlier this month, the Selma Rotary Club built bleachers they purchased for the fields and installed them with the community in mind.

“Our motto is service above self, and the money from our fundraisers goes to all of these different projects for the community. It’s really important for us to the present in Selma and the surrounding area,” said Manera Searcy, Rotary Club treasurer and past president. “It wasn’t just writing a check. We actually had to get down and dirty building those bleachers, so it was a very satisfying experience.”

The YMCA received a grant from the American Beverage Association and Alabama Beverage Association last October for the construction of the soccer fields.

Scott Haskell, operations officer at the YMCA, said he hopes that the fields will be ready by the spring, as long as the grass comes in.

“We’re totally excited,” Haskell said.  “I think that the soccer fields, the bleachers and eventually the walking track, all that’s great for the community to be able to use.”

Haskell said he is thankful for the donation of the bleachers and the support that the community and the Rotary Club has shown the Y. A grant from Alabama Power will be used for the walking track.

“The YMCA can’t do it without donations. It pleases us so deeply that there’s people here in this town and in this county that’s wiling to give so much to ensure the YMCA is able to sustain itself,” Haskell said.

“We’re just happy that the people in Selma are willing to give so much, and we hope that they will continue and they should always remember that the YMCA is there for Selma.”

Searcy said the bleachers came about from fundraising and a grant.

“Each year, our Rotary District 6880 offers matching grant money and so we wrote a grant asking for the money to buy the bleachers for the new YMCA soccer fields,” Searcy said. “We were able to obtain a matching grant … It’s nice to finally have that project under our belts and to have done a nice job with it.”