Legacy in motion: St. Joseph School unveils new athletic facility upgrades

GREENVILLE – St. Joseph School held a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Oct. 16 for their new athletic upgrades. Pictured (l-r): Britt Virden, Carl McGee (president of the Washington County Board of Supervisors), Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Principal Craig Mandolini and Mayor Errick D. Simmons. (Photo by Tereza Ma)

By Tereza Ma and Joanna King
GREENVILLE – Thanks to the generosity of Salvador Sarullo, student-athletes at St. Joseph School now enjoy upgraded athletic facilities. The school celebrated the grand opening of its new athletic complex with a special Mass and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Bishop Joseph Kopacz led a blessing for the facility, which adds over 4,700 square feet to the guy and includes new, expanded locker rooms for boys’ and girls’ basketball, soccer, baseball and softball teams. The complex also features dedicated training and recovery room to help athletes stay healthy and perform at their best.
St. Joseph Church has worked tirelessly to honor Sarullo’s legacy, using his substantial donation to support the school and parish, while embarking on projects that uplift the Greenville community.
Principal Craig Mandolini expressed gratitude, saying, “We are very fortunate for Mr. Sarullo’s generosity to help out the parish and the school. In addition to the new upgrades, we’ve gotten a lot of new things for the school to benefit our students’ minds and bodies. … We are so honored to receive the gift that we have been given.”

Phil Mansour, director of the St. Joseph School Athletic Association, said that the athletic complex project and other upgrades have been needed for years. He also said that the upgrades allow for the school to host state and district basketball tournaments.
“In addition to Mr. Sarullo, I thank Bishop Kopacz for his dedication and commitment to this school, said Mansour.
He also thanked architect Joseph Orr for working within a tight budget of $1.3 mission, a difficult feat given today’s construction cost. “He did a wonderful job, and we are so proud of the facility,” said Mansour.
Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons also spoke at the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony, expressing gratitude on behalf of the city: “We thank the bishop, faculty, and parents of St. Joseph for this wonderful facility based in God. When you think about economic development and you think about merging recreation, education and community development, I think St. Joe has done a really good job.”