LAKEWOOD, Ohio — For greater than 1 / 4 of a century, Lakewood Athletic Boosters has saved pay-to-participate charges yearly low by donating cash to the Lakewood Metropolis Faculties.

That streak continues this yr with the nonprofit not too long ago reducing the district a test for $20,000.

“Our most important mission is to offset the price of the athletic packages in Lakewood so the athletic charges that the college collects for every athlete stay low,” stated Vince Frantz, president of the Lakewood Athletic Boosters.

“There are about 1,200 lively athletes annually. The fee to play could be about $280 usually per athlete, however between the concession stands and ticket gross sales we’re capable of maintain the associated fee in Lakewood at $75.”

Lakewood Metropolis Faculties Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki added, “Lakewood Athletics Boosters understands the significance of scholars getting concerned in sports activities at the highschool stage.”

The boosters group yearly raises cash by way of fundraisers, in addition to the operation of six district concessions stands. This enables for $20,000 donations previous to the start of the autumn, winter and spring sports activities seasons.

Nonetheless, in the course of the pandemic fundraising grew to become a difficulty, which is why final yr the nonprofit was solely capable of donate $40,000.

“Throughout COVID, the athletic division had all the identical bills however with out our major methods of elevating cash, which is promoting meals and having fundraisers and ticket gross sales on the gate and issues like that,” Frantz stated. “However now we’re again.”

A silver lining of kinds to the pandemic was it pressured Lakewood Athletic Boosters to modernize its efforts.

Frantz stated the operation utterly revamped its concession-selling expertise.

“We went all digital,” Frantz stated. “We transformed all money concession stands to digital level of sale to additionally settle for bank cards, Apple Pay and money app. And we’re doing all the pieces with a touchscreen level of sale simply the way in which you see at Starbucks and issues like that.

“So when followers got here again, we had been capable of higher revenue from the site visitors as a result of we had a lot better information for the way a lot to order and the way a lot to cost. We’ve additionally began creating some part-time positions to handle the elevated exercise.”

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