(UPDATE: Please see the follow up story of the homeowners reaction posted on Friday, Aug. 10.)

The newly iconic blue turf football field at Oxford High School is now drawing a different kind of attention as its deficit in funding has put families at risk of losing their homes.

Needing to meet a payment of $400,000 by Sept. 1 for the field's installation last summer, the Oxford boosters are still $300,000 away from reaching that mark.

The collateral: Five homes of Oxford families. The families were willing to put their quality of living on the line so that the community could enjoy the new facility.

"That is phenomenal. Those families put their houses on the line for the Oxford Public Schools and the community," Oxford football coach Bud Rowley said.

The only problem is, the community didn't help play its role as expected. With the district not paying for the field's funds, the money needed to be raised within the community to meet the $400,000 goal.

"Once the turf got in, everyone was like, 'Well, its in. They're not going to take it away,'" Rowley said. "The community got a false sense that it was there and there wasn't much left to be done."

As is the case, that was far from true as now the school and its booster programs are spreading an S.O.S. to the community and beyond for any kind of donations to help out the families in danger.

"Everything we are doing is about getting funds into the field," Rowley said. "It was all in our fall coaches meeting. We are looking to do anything."

The community fair called "Oxford Days" helped raise money for the field. Rowley and the football team gave all of the money from a recent golf outing fundraiser. Although Rowley said the golf outing raised $3,500 for the field, it is better than nothing.

In hind sight, the disgruntled would point out that relying on the boosters and the community to raise funds for a $400,000 field in one year was setting the school up for this situation. Still, Rowley and the rest of the Oxford community has no time to point fingers as the deadline swiftly approaches.

"We probably should have had a better vision up front," Rowley said. "But we can't blame anyone right now."

To make a donation or find out how to get more involved in the fundraising efforts, you can visit www.oxfordboosters.com.

The instillation of Oxford High School's blue turf field before last football season helped put the school back on the on the map as it drew plenty of statewide attention. It even caught the attention of Boise State University. Many credit the field as even one of the reasons that spurred the Oxford football team to go from a 3-6 team in 2010 to a 7-3 team in 2011 when the field opened.