By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

Hays Middle School Athletic Director Bruce Rupp is relieved he no longer has to worry about not being able to find parts to fix the more than 20-year-old scoreboards that used to hang in the gym.

The two brand-new LED scoreboards were installed in August and were officially dedicated during halftime at a basketball game Tuesday afternoon.

At the dedication, Rupp thanked the two Hays families who made the new scoreboards a reality.

Darran Riedel, owner of Riedel’s Garden Center,1358 Old U.S. 40, and Brandon Johnson, owner of  Cornerstone Orthodontics, 2707 Vine, each have sons who play on the HMS basketball team, as well as other children who either have gone through HMS or will be in the future.

Both said they were happy to each buy a new scoreboard, knowing the old scoreboards were so outdated that new parts to fix them were expensive and hard to find.

Riedel said realizing the school district is on a tight budget made the decision an easy one for his family.

“There a big need for people to step up and help with school systems, because there’s not a lot of money available for things like this,” Riedel said. “If people don’t step up and help with scoreboards and practice fields, they’re going to be nonexistent.”

Joshson added, “I thought it was a great way to show my support for the school.”