By Shira Anderson
Senior Writer

The school stadium loudspeakers were stolen this Thanksgiving break in another significant blow to the athletics department following the pool vandalism. According to Athletics Director Monica Lodge. The speakers, worth approximately $2,000 to $3,000 and are not covered by insurance.

This theft, following the defacing of the school pool a few weeks prior, is only another monetary issue the athletics department has to deal with.

The speakers were donated and installed two years ago by parent Tim Murphy.

“They were really state -of-the-art stuff. Tim Murphy did a lot for the school, and these speakers were the best you could get,” Lodge said.

Unfortunately Murphy recently passed away and is therefore unavailable to help with situation.

“If Tim were still alive, I could probably ask him to help out with getting some new speakers, but as it is we’re on our own…it’s really a double blow,” Lodge said.

The speakers, located outside the loudspeaker box in the football bleachers, were heavily secured with bolts and wires. In the effort to take the speakers, the wires were cut, adding additional damage.

“We need speakers. We use them at games, Homecoming, even the Junior Olympics. I just don’t know how we’re going to replace them. It will take a lot of fundraising,” Lodge said

In an effort to remedy the situation, Lodge is attempting to redirect the reward money donated in response to the pool vandalism to finding the culprits behind this new crime.

The police are supposed to begin an investigation, and Lodge is also putting notices in the Town Crier, the Mountain View Voice, and the Palo Alto Daily.

“Someone ought to know if two big speakers suddenly appear in [his] garage…I’m hoping someone will call if they see the notice…of course, the speakers could be long gone,” Lodge said.

Despite the two events’ proximity, Lodge doesn’t think the pool vandalism and stolen speakers incident are related.

“I don’t think these are correlated. [the pool] was vandalism, [the missing speakers] was plain stealing,” Lodge said.

The most difficult aspect of the theft is simply the affect it has on the athletic funds. There isn’t much money left over from the remodeling and intense effort to raise money for the pool. Lodge said that funds are stretched pretty thin.

Still, she is making an effort to call donors in an attempt to replace teh needed speakers.

“I’m frustrated and disappointed that anyone would do this to a public school, especially one that has put so much money into making this a first class school…I hope this can be resolved,” Lodge Said.