Dover, Ohio - The Dover school district is getting its Christmas presents a little early this year.

During their last meeting before the holiday break, the Dover Board of Education accepted $130,000 in grants and donations for improvements to the new high school and Crater Stadium. 

Superintendent Carla Birney says the district is grateful for the support.

“We are very grateful for any donation, and we are blessed to live in the community of Dover where there are a lot of people who donate their time and money to the school district and our projects,” she says. 

Birney says the donations include $100,000 from the Doris and Floyd Kimble Foundation that will be used to help purchase an orchestra ceiling and tower for the new high school auditorium.

“This is something that was not in the base bid for the auditorium but the Kimbles have been very generous and very supportive of the new high school project and especially the auditorium," she says. "It was something that when we discussed it they were very interested in purchasing or helping to purchase this to enhance the new auditorium."

Also included in the total is a $5,000 Bed Tax grant from the City of Dover. Birney says that money will be used to preserve a circular architectural piece that sits on top of the current high school’s 1915 wing.

“They encouraged us to apply, and we’re very appreciative of the money from the city. The actual cost to remove that circular piece was $8,500 and the grant is $5,000, so it will almost cover the cost," she says.

The district also received $25,000 from longtime Dover schools supporter Karen Stokey to help purchase a new scoreboard for Crater Stadium. Birney says they are still finalizing the details of that project. 

STACEY CARMANY, TUSCO TV