LIMESTONE, Maine — It would be impossible to gauge just how much the late Howard and Zeta Lello gave to Limestone’s athletes over the years. Not seeking recognition, the couple would often buy equipment, such as a pair of soccer cleats or a glove, for a player who could not afford the cost. Their selfless commitment to school sports did not go unnoticed by the community, resulting in overwhelming support for naming the local baseball field after them.
The project involved a new scoreboard and shed adorned with signs made by Blvd Graphix and Kirk Cote. The Blvd Graphix sign includes the names of all who contributed to the project, either with funds or man hours. Cote’s sign, is a wooden creation in the shape of a baseball diamond that features the field’s new name, Howard and Zeta Lello Memorial Field. Howard Lello died in 2012 and Zeta in 2014.
Limestone Community School Principal Eric McGough said he “couldn’t even begin to guess” how much money the couple gave back to school sports.
“A lot of it flew under the radar,” McGough said. “They weren’t the type of people to draw a lot of attention to themselves and their giving.”
The RSU 39 School Board approved the field renovations and renaming in September of 2016, and since then several community organizations and individuals have donated to the project.
The field now has wiring and power, and the new utility building houses a scoreboard remote along with an athletic training table.
“All the folks in town have been in support of the decision since the onset of this project,” McGough said. “We’ve received generous donations from numerous people, everyone from here to Florida, and they all showed support because the project had Howard and Zeta Lello’s names attached.”
As a result, none of the costs came out of the school budget, and students attending the Caribou Regional Technology Center’s large equipment and residential construction classes provided all the labor.
“Limestone students are a part of both of those classes,” McGough said. “It’s nice to see the RSU come together and unify in a project like this.”
