There’s a new booster group in Oxford and its sole purpose is to increase funding for school sports.
Dubbed the ‘Oxford Athletic Boosters and Foundation,? the new group replaces the longtime Oxford Wildcat Booster Club, which chose to dissolve earlier this summer due to waning membership, according to Oxford Athletic Director Patrick Ball.
‘It ended up being a very small group of people who actually came to the (old Booster Club’s) meetings,? he said. ‘There would be times we didn’t have a quorum.?
‘The previous group was more of a PTO-type concept, more of a general school thing,? explained Ball, who conducts the new group’s meetings. ‘Basically, what we have now is strictly an athletic booster group.?
Ball takes a broad view of the new boosters membership. ‘I look at it this way ? everybody’s a member, there’s no fee.?
From parents with kids playing school sports to residents who simply wish to support Oxford athletics, all are welcome to join and volunteer.
An advisory board consisting of five community members and three high school coaches oversees the group’s fund-raising activities and expenditures.
All the money the boosters raise will be spent on athletic equipment and supplies for sports in grades seven through 12, according to Ball.
The boosters currently support more than 650 student athletes playing on 53 teams in 18 sports at the varsity, junior varsity and middle school levels.
Over the last five years, Oxford’s athletic department has suffered a 50 percent (or approximately $26,000) reduction in its supplies budget.
‘Unfortunately, that’s the kind of state schools are in,? Ball said. ‘It’s no longer about buying those special things. It’s kind of getting to the nitty-gritty. If you want your programs to survive these are the things that are needed.?
Ball said the ‘first goal? of the new boosters is to ‘return the athletic budget to where it was five years ago.? The ‘second goal? is to ‘increase it by 10 percent.?
To accomplish these goals, the new athletic boosters are engaging in a variety of fund-raising activities from operating concession stands at OHS games and conducting raffles to participating in the Meijer Community Rewards program.
Ball said the Meijer program is a great ‘non-burdensome? alternative to traditional school fund-raisers that sell items like candy.
‘People (who sign up for the program) can buy what they want or need from Meijer and up to 4 percent of their purchases come back to the athletic boosters in a monthly check.?
Enrolling in the Meijer Community Rewards program is simple ? go on-line at www.meijer.com/rewards and sign up using the Oxford Boosters code: 137816.
Or fill out an application at the Oxford Meijer or the Oxford Athletic Office, again using the above code.
Once enrolled, participants will receive a Meijer Rewards card and key chain card in the mail within three weeks. From then on, anytime a member shops at Meijer, all they have to do is swipe their card or key chain at the checkout and Oxford athletics benefits.
For more information about the Oxford Athletic Boosters and Foundation call Oxford Athletic Director Pat Ball at 969-5111.