For the past two weekends, the boys lacrosse team has been selling Christmas trees as its annual fundraiser. The money the team earns goes toward coaches salaries, uniforms and equipment costs. The fundraiser is vital to the club’s continuance because the school district doesn’t finance RBHS lacrosse.
Volunteer organizer Todd Fuller says the trees are donated by Steve Head at Head Motor Company, and this year they had 100 trees to sell, twice the usual amount. Fuller prefers this less traditional method of fundraising because it allows for team bonding.
“Anytime you can have some kind of opportunity where team members gather to fundraise money I think it’s a good experience. It allows the team to bond even if the entire team isn’t there. It allows them to get a sense to work and to make money for an event,” Fuller said. “It shows dedication on their part because there is no other way they could continue to play lacrosse at Rock Bridge if they didn’t raise the money themselves.”
Sophomore Connor Buckly agrees with Fuller. From his point of view, the four-hour shifts provide time for the team to learn more about each other.
“I think it’s really good team bonding because you’re just sitting around for four hours and only every so often someone comes by,” Buckly said. “The rest of the time you’re just talking.”
It’s Buckly’s second year on the team, and he says he much prefers this year as he knows his teammates better. In between talking and helping customers the boys also get a chance to tune up their lacrosse skills by causing tossing the ball back and forth.
Throughout the fundraiser Buckly and the other boys’ main job is to attract friends and family to the stand. As of the morning of Saturday 12th, the team has sold 57 trees which sell for $10 a foot as well as a number of wreaths, which sell for $25.