Engler Foundation donates $2M to Kids Inc. Rockrose Sports Park project

Yahoo

5 days ago

A $2 million gift from the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation has propelled Kids, Incorporated's Rockrose Sports Park campaign across a critical fundraising threshold — unlocking a $1.5 million challenge grant from the High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation and bringing the project closer to breaking ground.
The donation, announced Monday, July 28, will support the park's multi-purpose venue, which will now bear the Engler Foundation's name. The facility will serve thousands of young athletes across the Texas Panhandle and is expected to transform Amarillo into a destination for regional sports competitions.
'This gift is transformative — not just professionally, but personally,' said Jimmy R. Lackey, president and CEO of Kids, Inc. 'Mr. Engler and my father were friends in Dumas. To see his family invest in the next generation through this project — and in this community — means the world to me.'
The Engler Foundation's donation pushed the campaign total to over $26.2 million, surpassing the $24 million benchmark needed to activate a $1.5 million grant from the High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation. The combined $3.5 million boost marks the largest single leap in fundraising since the campaign launched.
Angela Lust, executive director of the Engler Foundation, said the decision to support the project was rooted in its broad and lasting community impact.
'This was an easy decision,' Lust said. 'This complex isn't just for Amarillo — it will serve the greater Panhandle. It aligns perfectly with our mission to support education, entrepreneurship, and basic human needs.'
A legacy fulfilled
For Sara Cady, a board member of the Engler Foundation and a daughter of Paul Engler, the gift represents a deeply personal moment.
'The Texas Panhandle was very important to my father,' Cady said. 'To make this donation so soon after his passing — and to invest in something that will benefit generations of children and families — is incredibly meaningful to our family.'
She recalled that her father often said his greatest legacy wouldn't be found in business holdings or markets, but 'in the lives of young people empowered to lead, create, and serve.'
'This gift honors that legacy,' she said. 'It honors him.'
From vision to reality
Construction plans for Rockrose Sports Park are quickly taking shape. The Amarillo City Council approved the final annexation of the property on June 25. The site plan has been submitted for review, and SW General Contractors is preparing to open the bidding process in early August. If all goes to plan, dirt could begin moving by late September or early October.
'When people actually see equipment on the ground, the perception changes,' Lackey said. 'It's not just a concept anymore — it's real.'
The complex will span 36 acres and include sports turf fields for soccer, football, baseball and softball. Plans also call for concessions, restrooms, shade structures and more than 1,600 parking spaces.
'It's about accessibility,' Lackey said. 'Parents won't have to shuttle between three different locations. This is a facility built for families — for the kids who can't afford club sports, who just want to find out if they even like soccer or football.'
A proven model
Kids, Inc. has already seen the impact of similar facilities in towns like Hereford and Dalhart in Texas, and Elk City, Oklahoma, where the organization manages youth sports complexes.
Hereford Mayor Cathy Bunch said the city's new baseball and softball complex, which opened earlier this year, has already boosted local tax revenue and filled hotels during tournaments.
'We saw a $25,000 spike in sales tax after just one tournament,' Bunch said. 'Our hotels were full. Our restaurants were packed. We had out-of-town visitors everywhere you looked.'
Bunch said the momentum is growing, and she believes Amarillo will experience a similar impact.
'This kind of investment transforms communities,' she said. 'Hereford deserved it. So does Amarillo.'
Looking ahead
While about $4 million remains to be raised, the latest gifts have dramatically shifted momentum. Lackey said the organization is now confident it can close the gap and begin construction.
'This gift was the spark we needed,' he said. 'It's a message to our donors, to our city and to our kids: This is happening. And it's happening because people believe in the power of community.'
To learn more or contribute to the campaign, visit www.kidsinc.org.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Engler Foundation $2M donation unlocks Rockrose Sports Park funding