New sports equipment library opening at Republic Community Center

REPUBLIC, Mo. — A new sports equipment library for Republic student-athletes in need is opening at the Republic Community Center.

According to a release from MU Extension , a ribbon cutting will be held at 3 p.m. on July 23 at the Republic Community Center (711 E. Miller Rd., Republic).

As part of a community project, Republic High School student Hayden Hradek created a sports equipment library for coaches and players in various Republic sports programs based on his own experience as an athlete.

“I was raised by a single mom so in my younger years money was tight and I could only play one sport because of the cost to outfit me for other sports,” Hradek said in a statement. “The idea with this library is to be able to provide equipment, some of which gets really expensive, to coaches who have players in need. It is a loan program, and we will be taking additional donations of sports equipment beyond the initial $3,000 donation of equipment by Amazon.”

Hradek received a grant through MU Extension’s Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) that went to the purchase of a storage container where the library will be housed.

The sports equipment library was Hradek’s capstone project for the NLA, which is a 10-week community development and leadership program.

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