Fundraising is a common way for groups of all sorts to earn money for a cause. Bake sales, galas, car washes and raffles are all popular examples of a fundraiser, but recently the track team has been raising money in a unique way to buy new equipment for the team.
The fundraiser hosted by the track team did not involve any bake sales or raffles. For larger amounts of money, groups tend to host galas and special events that will be enjoyed by vast amounts of people. The track team took a different approach. They sent emails to family and friends, requesting money to help them reach their goal.
“This is my third season participating in track and field, and my second season doing high jump,” WCHS freshman Jana Abanulo said. “I plan on continuing it next year because it will look good on my college resume. Additionally, if I do well on the high jump, I want a scholarship to a good school.”
Through the fundraiser, Abanulo can better her performance with the high jump bar they are planning to purchase. Since she has been injured for a couple of months, she has not had a personal best record for a while. When she gets back onto the field, she will benefit from the fundraiser. Abanulo is one of many players on the team who will see dividends from the money raised.
“The money raised by the track team will help to purchase a new high jump pit, as the tarp and mat are ripped,” Abanulo said. “Additionally, they want to purchase new batons and improve the quality of the shot put and discus area. My dad sent money to the fundraiser, allowing us to get closer to reaching our goal.”
Many fundraisers occur at WCHS, hosted by different teams as well as the Booster Club. However, the track team has not had a fundraiser in over a decade. So when the equipment with the team has been getting worn out and the quality goes down, they have to host a fundraiser. These emails have allowed loved ones to get involved within the community by sending money to benefit players.
“This is our first fundraising event in over a decade to supply new equipment for our team,” WCHS freshman Morgan Gudger said. “We sent emails to family and friends in order to reach our $15,000 goal.”
Gudger has been doing track for over ten years. During her time participating in track and field, she has participated in various events, such as the 55-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 800-meter dash, shot put, javelin, race walking and discus. She dreams of being able to run in the Olympics one day and be ranked within the top ten in the United States. The fundraiser will allow her to practice with new shot put and discus equipment, allowing her to further improve her performance on the field.
“Through the fundraiser, by getting new equipment for shot put and discus, I am now able to practice with it and improve my performance,” Gudger said. “Although our way of raising funds is a bit unconventional, I hope it will help me achieve my future goals.”
Since the track team has sent emails out to all their loved ones, they have been steadily approaching their goal. Everyone’s contribution has helped the team further reach its target number. Although they have not yet reached it, their efforts are showing promising results. The sooner they reach their goal, the sooner they can buy new equipment for the team.
“The goal was $15,000, and as of now, I believe we have around $12,000,” Abanulo said. “The equipment is really expensive, and we have been putting forth a tremendous amount of effort in order to reach our goal.”
The fundraiser hosted by the track team is a great way to build community between the players. It allows players to work together and send emails out to loved ones, and get closer to reaching their fundraising goal. Once the items are purchased, players on the field are given a better opportunity to reach their personal goals through the purchasing of new equipment and become a stronger team.
“I think it is an amazing thing for the team to do,” Gudger said. “We need a lot of new equipment that could benefit the team. I think that by buying this new equipment, we now have a way for the team to improve their performances every single practice, allowing us to reach our personal goals as a team.”
