Beth Lloyd, president of the Salem Booster Club, submitted the following wrap-up of the organization’s activities this year:
What’s a chocolate cake…without the gooey, melty icing dripping down the sides?
What’s a gorgeous home…without the lovely landscaping and beautiful furnishings?
And what’s a grade school…without the sound of kids cooking, batters bunting and coaches conversing?
Were it not for the Salem Booster Club, the halls of Salem Grade School would be silent and the courts would be empty at the end of each day. But because of the efforts of the Board, the volunteers and coaches, 2010/2011 was an incredibly successful year for after- school activities. On the clubs side, the SBC was able to offer 12 clubs with 220 children participating. This was a 30 percent growth over last year, which speaks volumes to the interest and need within the school and community. We were able to offer clubs for those students too young to participate in a sport – and for those not athletically inclined.
A few of the highlights of the year included two plays, three dances, and the addition of a cooking club with so much interest that the age groups had to be divided. On the athletic side, the SBC provided the athletes at SGS with a full array of sports – from softball to basketball to volleyball to track. Once again, the number of students trying out for each sport (450 in all) spoke to the desire of the students to represent their school both on the home court and away. On the volleyball front, over 100 kids tried out for 40 positions. And in cheerleading, we had the most interest to-date – 70 young ladies tried out for 25 spots.
Needless to say, the SBC was thrilled with the enthusiasm of each and every child who showed interest.
The Booster Club’s charter is simple – to provide educational and athletic enrichment programs at the SGS without financial aid from outside sources. As well as providing clubs and sports, we were also able to purchase new uniforms and warm-ups for our basketball teams without a special fundraiser. Of course, we could not have done any of this without our fabulous team of volunteers. Our coaching staff, club leaders and Board – none were compensated.
To each and every person who contributed their time, effort and expertise, thank you for helping the SBC carry out its mission in this 2nd year. We are confident that next year will be even better as more within the school and community step up and say, “Count me in – I’ll help make it happen!â€
(If you’d like more information on the SBC, please visit www.thesalemboosters.com)
