International Falls Daily Journal - Grade school playing fees for sports - Comments

dlspray--thank you for the

six-shooter — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:07:56 -0500

dlspray--thank you for the info, I was not aware of these scholarships for kids. I think like you said it might be for lack of publicity. If they would put that on the sign up sheet they send home with the kids that would help or put it in the paper. I haven't seen anything about it. If they put it in the paper they could even say that donations would would be greatly accepted. I know many alumni in or out of town would gladly donate. Once again thanks.

Mama G,I spoke to a board

dlspry — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:32:30 -0500

Mama G,I spoke to a board member from the Bronco Basketball Booster Club today. They do have scholarships available. Basically if a child qualifies for free/reduced lunch they will qualify for a basketball scholarship. All the parent need do is to request a scholarship form from the Booster Club. I was told that the numbers of participation for our recreation basketball program, both boys and girls, are up again this year but no one even applied for a scholarship last year. I don't know if this is somewhat due to lack of publicity or what. The board member told me that if anyone wished to donate to the BB booster club, the donation could be delineated for scholarships only, and even for specific age groups. I don't know if this existing program is one you can work with and not "re-invent" the wheel so to speak but wanted to inform you of it anyway. If you run with your FHASSP - I would recommend you talk directly with the coaches of each grade level - they usually have a pretty good idea of who may need help with fees,uniforms, shoes, etc. Kudos to you for taking this on!

Okay MamaG, you can be the

Anton1965 — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:02:22 -0500

Okay MamaG, you can be the basketball rep.,Jerry can be another rep., Georgia can be one rep., and Kelli can be another rep. and maybe you can talk shooter into being a rep. also. Thats five differant representitives and a very good five at that. Go over to Sandy's and have a coffee and pie for your first meeting, make sure every ones on the same sheet of music, I'll buy, and your off to a start that will make a lot of kids happy. Think big, it will happen. Pleeeeez!!

I'd be willing to open up an

MamaG — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:42:48 -0500

I'd be willing to open up an account at Trustar for the basketball program. (I get first dibbies on Anton's name! FHAASP, I like it!) I know there are people out there that would say, "What? You can't just pick one sport to help!" But, I would hope other parents would step up to the plate for the other programs. Hockey and football have been a constant in International Falls, but basketball is a dwindling sport. If more kids had the opportunity to start, perhaps it wouldn't be. I have tutored girls just to get their grades up to par to stay in it, paid for motel rooms and gas when needed, given countless rides to and from practice and games. And was totally thrilled when when one of "my children" scored their first basket. When a general fund is started, people don't know where their money goes. I'm really just trying to simplify the situation in Int'l Falls. My spouse and I grew up here, live here, and will probably die here, loving this sport. We know the mill workers and we know the gas station attendents and the waitresses. I'm not saying this would be the best solution and I'm not saying it is the only solution. It's like when your neighbor breaks a leg. Do you go to a committee and pay them $15 to find someone to mow their lawn for $20? Or, do you just get off your tired butt and mow their lawn? It would be nice to have one person all coaches can go to and say, "This child has no shoes" and have something done about it. No, I don't need to know what child gets what and I'm not willing to give a free lunch to the child with a full fridge either. I thought of Jerry Hilfer because he is a very caring man and as the principal of the elementary, he would know who just needed a bit of help. I know it's not much but I'm willing to try and help this country and it begins in our own back yard.

How about MamaG, Jerry

Anton1965 — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:30:57 -0500

How about MamaG, Jerry Hilfer, Georgia and TruStar??? Also an application form in the Journal for the parents to submit their request on and an address to send the request and donations to. Don't know about any qualifications but maybe first come first served or ages 5-12. The fine folks that take a hold of this can make any initial rules they think is appropriate for the program. The name "FHS Alumni Athletic Sponsorship Program" was just a suggestion, the best I could think of at the moment. What say you guys?? Also, we have a wonderful new member of our community, Kelli, maybe she would want to be a part of this and she would be an unbiased opinion. Most resident Corporations do not want to be left out of such a wonderful program as this so I would think that Boise Cascade Paper would want to be a part of this program too. A $5000.00 to $10,000 donation sure would sure be benificial to the development and make a lot of local children happy. Also, this is the kind of touchy-feely thing that anybody in town can immediately feel good about.

Isn't he an "Educrat"????

roj2000 — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:00:31 -0500

Isn't he an "Educrat"????

MammaG- I guess I'm not very

six-shooter — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:11:09 -0500

MammaG- I guess I'm not very good at the politics of this sortta thing. I try to keep my life on the straight and take things like this very seriously. I think a bank is a very good idea. I hope they would take something like this on and guide it in the right direction. I hope it can go forward somehow.

How about Jerry Hilfer?

MamaG — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:57:34 -0500

How about Jerry Hilfer? He's an honest guy...

Hi Six, I get what you're

MamaG — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:06:27 -0500

Hi Six, I get what you're saying. And, a gift is, afterall, a gift. However, I disagree with the "powers that be" part. Some are the same ones that got an insurance check for hail damage for Backus for a new roof, then took that money and put a new roof on the arena, then sold Backus for $1 to people who are trying to raise money for a new roof for Backus. Life should just be simplier than all that--is what I'm saying. And, I, too love the name Anton came up with! Kay's got a good idea, too. Perhaps Trustar would be willing. Wells fargo charges outrageous fees...

I don't think it was the

mountainmomma — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:02:58 -0500

I don't think it was the playground you were playing in

OK Ellie Mae Clampet, you

roj2000 — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:46:04 -0500

OK Ellie Mae Clampet, you can have your Jethro dolls back!! And you quit picking on me too! I am roj2000 and I should be respected on the playground.

Roger give me back my

Tammy Hoffman — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:40:30 -0500

Roger give me back my dolls. Next time you come in my back yard I will tell on you. Now you go play with your own toys.

I think a bank such as

kay — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:29:29 -0500

I think a bank such as Border State, Tru Star or Bremer would be a good place to send funds to support a program like this. That way it would go where it was intended. I am not sure how it could be distributed but will think about it. I will make a few calls tomorrow and see if one of the banks would be interested if everyone thinks that would be a good idea.

Georgia, Be proud of your

six-shooter — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:25:53 -0500

Georgia, Be proud of your son who has chosen a path that will make him happy. A saying that I go by alot is "let go and let God" if you have a pastor that you can talk to I know he can give you words of comfort. God Bless you and your family and may the good Lord give you peace of mind.

I will donate to this fund

six-shooter — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:20:40 -0500

I will donate to this fund so a child can play a sport. I feel these donations are a gift and when you give a gift you don't ask for nothing in return. As to the sport or the child it goes to that would be up to the powers that be to decide. I believe it would have to be with the parents permission to do this for their child also.I don't need to know who it is or what sport as long as a child can play.Anton had a good name for the fund.It is probably too late for this year but it could work for next year.

Grade school playing fees for sports

six-shooter — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:15:55 -0500

Just learning that my 2 grandkids each have to pay $100 bucks to play basketball is very hard to understand. $35 for sign up $17 for a t-shirt and a box of candy they have to sell for $48.