Baseball, Softball Fundraising Exceeded What Was Necessary to Play This Season

When the Galloway Township Board of Education approved the reinstatement of the baseball and softball teams for the spring 2011 season, it did so with one caveat: It was the parents who would have to pay to bring the programs back, and they would have to raise the $5,225 by April 30.

At Monday night’s Galloway Township Board of Education meeting at the middle school, seven baseball and three softball players presented the board with a check for $5,225, three days before the season is set to begin and 19 days before the check was expected.

“We do have one problem,” said Gail Brown, who organized the effort to bring the programs back. “They raised more money than they needed.”

The players raised an additional $283 before the meeting, and received another $25 after it.

“We don’t know what to do with it,” Brown said. “We had another coin drop scheduled and we were supposed to sell beverages and snacks during the middle school’s volleyball marathon this Friday.”

The coin drop will be canceled, but the group will honor its commitment to the volleyball marathon, unless another group steps in and offers to sell snacks during the marathon.

The group raised its money via three major events and an ongoing bracelet sale in the school. It held a coin drop at ShopRite and a fundraiser at Five Guys in March, and on Sunday, held a Beef and Beverage at Fred and Ethel’s Lantern Light in Smithville, where it raised $2,925.

“We had an awesome night,” Brown said.

The entire effort could be described as “awesome.” The group received contributions from various businesses throughout Galloway, including AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, AtlantiCare, Premier Gear, the Smithville Colonial Inn, the Foundation Title of Northfield and the Red Door Salon, among others.

It wasn’t just Galloway that donated; the group also received a contribution from Trader Joe’s in Marlton.

“The community has been great,” Brown said. “There are a lot of good people in Galloway that helped.”

Brown praised Superintendent of Schools Annette Giaquinto, saying that without her help, they wouldn’t be where they are right now.

“She won’t accept this, but if it wasn’t for Gail Brown, we wouldn’t be where we are,” parent Jamie O’Brien said. “Gail Brown put the fuel in the fire for this.”

The sports were cut due to budgetary reasons earlier this school year. Soccer and basketball at the middle school were also cut, and there are no sports available for elementary school students.

Cross-country, track and field, field hockey and volleyball remained open to middle school students.

This is when the campaign began to bring baseball and softball back. The group campaigned at two Board of Education meetings earlier this year before the board voted to reinstate the sports under the stipulation that the parents pay for them.

Now, the season is set to begin Thursday with financial woes in the rear-view mirror, for now.

The school budget for 2011-12 includes sports after the state boosted its aid to schools earlier this year, allowing for a budget that would see the return of sports and some other non-essential programs.

However, Board Vice President George Schwenger warned that if the budget doesn’t pass during the April 27 school board elections, some things will have to be taken out of the budget.

“The first thing to go will be non-educational,” Schwenger said.

But again, the baseball and softball teams will be hosting Dennis Township Thursday afternoon at 3:45 in their respective season openers.

“As Gail Brown has been writing in her correspondences,” parent Tom Roesch said, “let’s play ball!”