DATE: Thursday, September 18, 1997          TAG: 9709180334

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   55 lines

SOCCER GROUP'S CONCESSION STAND STRIPPED BY VANDALS

Like a kid with a lemonade stand, Danny Owen set up a folding table under a tent and opened for business in the middle of the Olive Branch soccer complex Tuesday night.

That's what vandalism had reduced the Olive Branch Soccer Association's concession-stand business to after a break-in that occurred sometime after 8 p.m. Monday, the night before.

A little girl approached the concession man timidly.

``What can I get for a dime?''

``Nothing,'' Owen told her while pointing to the ``15 cents'' signs on the lollipop rings and powdery Fun Dip. ``The gum's gone,'' he said. ``It got stolen.''

On a large price board, a big X was drawn through the names of many popular concession offerings - including hot dogs and nachos with cheese.

The thief was someone strong enough to cart away an air conditioner and several propane tanks for the grill.

The intruder also took boxes of candy, Judy Owen said.

``They only took what was boxed up or in cases that they could resell,'' Danny Owen sad.

The trailer was damaged severely.

The Owens had parked the damaged trailer in front of their house and loaded up a truck with what drinks, chips and other refreshments they could still sell Tuesday night.

The league, which plays games at a soccer complex behind Hodges Manor Elementary School, serves about 225 children, ages 3 to 17.

The food stand on wheels was helping to pay for things from uniforms to insurance, and league members hoped to be able to raise enough money to get matching funds for a permanent concession building.

Last weekend, when the season began, the league made $1,000 from the little trailer.

The league probably won't be able to come anywhere near matching that amount until the trailer is replaced or repaired.

There was no insurance on the trailer, and it will take about $1,000 to get it up and running again, Judy said.

``We started on a little wooden sewing table with a beach umbrella and a generator for a coffeepot,'' Judy Owen said. ``We saw the potential to make money and ease up on the fund-raising that nobody likes to do.'' MEMO: Anyone with information about the break-in should call the

Portsmouth Crime Line at 488-7777. For more information on the Olive

Branch Soccer Association, call 488-3452. ILLUSTRATION: JIM WALKER

Danny Owen sells a soda to Jamie Squibbs at a temporary concession

table set up in the soccer complex at Hodges Manor Elementary

School. The trailer he was using was vandalized early this week. KEYWORDS: ROBBERY BURGLARY VANDALISM

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