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Donation will Provide New Football Helmets to Falls City Schools

By Matthew Leaf

11/01/2013

(KTNC) - A donation from the Richardson Foundation in memory of a former Falls City High School student-athlete will benefit football players from both Falls City High and Falls City Sacred Heart.
The foundation is donating $60,000 to purchase new, state-of-the-art, football helmets for both schools. The donation is being made in memory of Tanner Merz, who died in an automobile accident in March.
Richardson Foundation president Steve Kottich says the foundation approved the donation after they were approached by Tanner’s parents, Marc and Sally Merz. He says the Foundation had the funds available to make the donation, and they want to pursue projects like this that will benefit people for years to come. Funds for the helmets will come from the Fiedler Estate and other foundation funds.
Sally Merz says they decided to approach the Richardson Foundation after seeing a Falls City High School athlete injured in the first football game of the season, and things came together fairly quickly after that.
The helmets that will be purchased are a new helmet manufactured by Riddell. They provide some shock absorbtion in the facemask. It's hoped the new helmets will help to prevent the young football players at the schools from sustaining concussions.
Marc Merz says they’re fairly sure that Tanner’s death was a result of head injuries he sustained as an athlete in high school and college. He says if the new helmets can help one athlete avoid one head injury, it's well worth the cost.
The $60,000 will purchase approximately 120 football helmets. They’re still negotiating with Riddell on the exact number.
The donation was announced during halftime presentations at both the Falls City High School and Falls City Sacred Heart play-off games Thursday at Jug Brown Stadium.

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