Anzar High Football Fundraiser

Anzar High School's football team in San Juan Bautista, Calif. is in its seventh year of existence. The program continues to progress with its mission of teaching students at this small school bordered by farm fields the importance of commitment, teamwork, integrity, goal setting and sportsmanship. But the team faces severe, inherent financial challenges since California public schools cannot contribute to the program's basic costs.

Those costs for minimal and necessary resources are immense.  They include $3,000 per year for helmet reconditioning, which is needed to ensure adequate safety. They also include $3,500 to fund lights necessary for the games. Bus travel to and from away games amounts to about $4,500. Referees cost $300 per home game, or $1,200 for the year. That total eclipsing $12,000 doesn’t even include the reality that Anzar football is using the same jerseys and pants from the team’s inaugural season in 2011, and the program will have to replace those resources in the near future at a cost totaling about $4,500.

The team has worked hard to raise the money through such efforts as a car wash, team barbecue, family donations and a sponsorship campaign, but remains in need of significant funds to meet the yearly goal.