The new president of the Oxford Wildcat Booster Club is on a mission to expand the group’s membership and volunteer base.
‘My intent is to get as many people signed up as I possibly can,? said Lindsey Burton, who was elected the Booster Club’s president in June.
But first Burton, whom many may remember as the co-chair of the pro-school bond issue campaign in 2001, wants to dispel some misconceptions about the club he’s belonged to for seven years.
Contrary to popular belief, the Booster Club is ‘not just an athletic group,? he said.
‘I think in the past people have associated us with just sports,? Burton said.
It’s true Booster members are present at many sporting events ? running the concession stands which are the club’s main fund-raiser ? and donate a lot of the money they raise to both high school and middle school sports programs.
‘We do assist in purchasing items for sports teams, if the money is not available in the athletic budgets,? Burton said.
But’s that’s not the primary mission of the Booster Club.
‘It’s basically the high school PTO,? Burton said. The club does ‘anything and everything we can do to promote positive things for the kids.?
The DECA Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Yearbook and the Senior All Night Party Committee are just some of the non-sports-related activities the Boosters donate to on a regular basis in addition to the four scholarships the club awards annually to graduating seniors.
Last year, Burton said SADD members worked the concession stands at all the middle school football games and in return received financial assistance from the Boosters based on sales.
‘I want all the clubs and organizations and all the students to benefit from the Booster Club,? he said. ‘People think that all we do is help the football team. We rarely help the football team just because they seem to be self-sufficient. The reality of it is that (Coach) Bud (Rowley) runs his own program and comes up with its finances independently.?
‘The golf team, the track team and the math club are just as important as the football team to me,? Burton added. ‘They’re all students and they all deserve whatever we give them.?
‘Anything the kids need, if we feel it’s reasonable, we give help and support,? Burton said. ‘In all the years I’ve been involved in Boosters, I can’t remember, except for maybe one time, when we denied a request.?
Another misconception is that once they’re kids reach high school, parents can scale back their involvement or don’t have to be involved at all.
Burton said ‘PTOs are real active in the elementaries? because many parents think that’s time their involvement is most needed. Then in middle school they get ‘less involved? and by the time high school rolls around, they’re participation is ‘really minimal.?
But high school ‘is a time when (parents) should be more involved, the most involved,? according to Burton because as he’s fond of saying, ‘Small kids, small problems. Big kids, big problems.?
‘When kids are in high school, you should be present more often and let them know you’re concerned with their activities and what they’re involved in,? he said.
Burton said he and his wife, Donna, ‘have always been involved with the schools? because ‘we just felt it was our responsibility as parents.? Donna has been employed with Oxford Schools for more than 10 years, most of which she worked as a paraprofessional and secretary at Clear Lake Elementary. She now works as a secretary for Lakeville Elementary. Before her employment, she worked as a parent volunteer.
The Burtons have three children ? Laura, 21, who’s in her third year of college, but spent four years as a varsity cheerleader; Adam, a senior at OHS who’s active in SADD; and Justin, a sophomore at OHS who plays baseball and golf.
It’s also a misnomer that in order to be a Booster member you must have children at the high school or in the school district.
‘Anyone in the community? can join the Booster Club, Burton said. ‘It’s an excellent way to be involved in the community and get to know your neighbors.?
‘You meet a lot of people,? he said. ‘I’ve made a lot of friends from Boosters.?
Being a Booster also means the ‘opportunity to be involved in some decisions of the school,? Burton said. ‘We have input on some of the activities that occur at the school. We don’t have the final say, but the school district listens to us.?
Burton said the Booster Club has ‘probably only 10 active members (ones who ‘show up on a regular basis to the meetings?), ‘which is sad when you’ve got a (high) school of 1,400 to 1,500 students and you’ve got 10 people making decisions for everybody else.?
At any given meeting, he said Oxford’s Band Boosters have 30 people in attendance and the band has approximately 215 kids in it.
Given there’s approximately 1,500 students at the high school, Burton said he would ‘love to see 50 parents? at his Booster meetings. ‘That would be ideal.?
Burton said more members are needed to run the club’s concession stands at sporting events, which are group’s primary source of income. He noted that the old football stadium held 1,200 people. The new one holds about 3,500 people and approximately 5,000 spectators are expected for the first home game Friday, Sept. 4.
‘We’re definitely going to need more people? to work the stand at the football games, said Burton, who noted there’s no longer a membership fee to join the Boosters.
More members are also needed to aid in the decision-making process of how to spend all the money the Boosters raise.
‘I want everybody’s input,? he said. ‘I don’t want to make all the decisions. I really don’t. I want parents to make the decisions on what we’re doing with the funds we generate.?
‘I know what’s important to me, but I’m only one parent,? Burton said. ‘I don’t know what’s important to everybody else. And it’s up to them to let me know what’s important and how we should spend the money.?
To aid in the recruitment of new members and volunteers, Burton is working to have a website created for the Boosters along with an e-mail address. He also wishes to create a mass e-mailing list, so he can let everyone know about upcoming events.
Helping Burton achieve his goals are the 2004-05 Booster Club officers ? Vice president Russell Luxton, Treasurer Valerie Logan and Secretary Diana Eldridge.
Burton wished it noted that he’s ‘very grateful? to former Booster President Chuck Gall and former Treasurer Bob Peterson, who each served four years at their respective posts.
‘They just did a yeoman’s work,? he said. ‘When they handed things over, everything was in order, we knew exactly what was going on.?
To learn more about the Oxford Wildcat Booster Club call Lindsey Burton at (248) 969-???? or e-mail him at lindsburton@yahoo.com.