---

ATTLEBORO - Attleboro High School's "Baldie" eagle mascot likely will be strutting the sidelines at Bombardier football games in September after all.

A student effort to raise funds for a new eagle costume to replace the tattered existing mascot raised a total of $1,500 - more than enough to purchase a new Baldie with money left over for periodic cleanings and upgrades. Plans are under way to order a new costume.

Recent AHS grad Craig Bonin, the man behind Baldie's feathers for more than two years, spearheaded the drive and said he was gratified by the community's generosity. He said the familiar eagle has become a rallying point and a symbol over the years.

"He's not just about school pride, but community pride," Bonin told the school committee. "Having a symbol helps uplift people."

Bonin, who reports for Navy duty next month, had made it a point to find a new costume in time for the upcoming football season. Baldie also appears at school rallies and other sports. The recent graduate took his appeal to the public in a page one story in The Sun Chronicle a week ago, and immediately won overwhelming support. With the future of the Baldie costume apparently assured, Bonin says he's hoping a spirited AHS student will pick up the mantle of school mascot.