The Green Bay Packers awarded Green Bay East High School with a $200,000 grant on Friday, Sept. 23, for the redevelopment of the City Stadium playing field.

Prior to the Red Devils' Friday night matchup against the Menasha Bluejays, Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy presented the donation to Dr. Michelle Langenfeld, superintendent of schools and learning for the Green Bay Area Public School District and Timothy Flood, athletic director and associate principal at Green Bay East High School.

"A site with extraordinary football history, City Stadium was the home of the Packers for 32 seasons, and has been an important part of our community as the home of Green Bay East High School," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "We're proud to be able to provide assistance to the football program for the redevelopment of the field so that City Stadium can remain an excellent place to play and watch football for years to come."

The grant, awarded by the Packers Foundation with funds secured through the NFL Club Matching Youth Football Field/Stadium Grant Program, will be used to match money already raised by the school in order to help install a new playing surface. The project is expected to be complete by fall of 2017.

The donation to Green Bay East also served as an opportunity to remind the community about the ongoing "Building on Tradition" effort, aimed at installing quality synthetic playing surfaces at each high school in the Green Bay Area Public School District.

Langenfeld spoke at the donation presentation about the benefits of having high-quality playing surface to use for athletics and education.

"It's about tradition here at City Stadium and this is an exciting time for us," Langefeld said. "We are working hard to create equity and access for all our students. This donation will continue our work to make sure each of our children has access to high-quality fields across our district."

Murphy added that the Packers hope to contribute to the "Building on Tradition" initiative as fundraising for the synthetic turf fields continues.

"Across the state we've seen the impact of these turf fields," Murphy said. "Athletics use them all the time. It'll make a difference for a lot of people in the community."

This is the third such Packers grant in conjunction specifically with the NFL's Club Matching Youth Football Field/Stadium Grant Program. It is also the 15th grant secured by the Packers since 1998 for Wisconsin organizations working on new or renovated athletic fields and stadiums, with the cumulative total now at $2,110,000. A previous grant to Green Bay East High School in 2001 went toward the cost of the City Stadium Commemoration Project.

Previous grants, worth a combined $1,910,000, went to Logan High School-La Crosse School District (2015), Bay Port High School Howard-Suamico School District (2014), Ashwaubenon High School (2013), West Allis-West Milwaukee School District (2011), Journey House, Milwaukee (2009), Wrightstown High School (2009), Green Bay Southwest High School (2008), Custer High School, Milwaukee (2005), Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay (2005), Bradley Tech High School, Milwaukee (2003), Green Bay East High School, (2001), Green Bay Preble High School (2001) and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (1998).

About the NFL Foundation:The NFL Foundation is the league's nonprofit organization representing the 32 NFL clubs.  Its mission is to support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football and the communities which support our game.