The Jacksonville Boosters Club Rocks! – by Donna Briggs

News From Britt Hill – June 2019

Using the recent words of our new Facilities Operation Manager, Andrew Mustain, “It was Rob Buerk’s generosity and leadership that we owe gratitude to for overseeing the removal of the old picnic tables and installation of the new picnic tables. The Britt Experience has always been a collaboration of passionate people coming together for a common cause.”

The work began last fall when the Boosters came together and spent a week removing the old picnic tables. Phase II started in early spring when the Boosters spent several days sanding and varnishing the steel frames. Most recently, the volunteers worked for three days installing 21 large picnic tables and 5 small picnic tables on the Britt Hill. This included successfully drilling over 1,150 holes on the underside of the tabletop boards and seats without once drilling all the way through to the surface. Rumor has it that Mike Burrill and Mike Dicus were the superstars in drilling and setup, respectively. With energy and good cheer, every volunteer helped move clamps, tarps, bolts and wood. It was truly a remarkable undertaking that will benefit our entire community for decades to come. Next time you see a Booster, please give them a shout-out in show of our appreciation.

In addition to the new picnic area, Britt successfully installed a new irrigation system and a beautiful new lawn. The entire Hill received core aeration, 3 inches of top soil, new grading and hydro-seeding made up of rye and fescue grass. It is growing gangbusters and has never looked better. Our cherished hillside venue is as green and silky as Ireland’s countryside.

Whether you are sitting on the new bench seating or kicked-back on the emerald lawn, you will notice the incredible new stage lights that were just installed. These are not just any lights; they are the same lights that were debuted at this year’s Super Bowl! The Super Bowl Halftime Show marked the live show debut of Elation’s Rayzor 760, a unique LED luminaire with 7 x 60W RGBW LEDs, 5 to 77-degree zoom, continuous pan and tilt, and new SparkLED technology. Suffice it to say, if you are into production or just a Britt fan, these new lights are going to be very cool. Britt is lucky to be the first performance venue to have these state-of-the-art lights installed. They will indeed impress our artists and audiences alike.

All of these venue improvements over the past eight years are a result of Britt’s Board of Directors and their visionary leadership. Like Britt’s Immediate Past President, Mike Burrill, they don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk.