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NEWBERRY -- Looking at it from the outside, you wouldn't think the Newberry barn structure is anything special, but to these young hockey players, it's their sanctuary.

They come to the Newberry Ice Rink every day to sharpen their skills, but their skating days are on thin ice.  The rink is so small, they outgrow it by the time they hit middle school, and to stick with the sport they all know, they'll eventually have to travel an hour away for the nearest large rink for practice.

“We really can't play on this rink because it's too small now, so our age group, we can't skate on it,” said 11-year-old Sara Cameron.

“It’s just a little cramped,” said nine-year-old Ethan Edwards.

What’s more?  The rink is past its prime.

“It was built in 1935 I think,” said recreation board member, Ben Rahilly.  "And it's still natural ice.  There’s no refrigeration underneath the ice; it's all weather dependant.”

Also, their zamboni to clean the ice is made out of a plastic drum and some tubes.

Determined to keep hockey alive in Newberry, the community is competing in the Pepsi Refresh project for $250,000.  If they win, they'll build a brand new NHL-sized, synthetic surface ice rink just inside the village limits.

“It’s basically a plastic product that we would put into a new building,” Rahilly said.  “We put this surface down and maintenance costs are a lot lower; we don't have to freeze anything.”

The community currently ranks 18 in the challenge, but they need to reach first or second place to get the grant money.  Voting closes at the end of this month.

To cast your vote, visit the Pepsi Refresh website.