• 36°
franklin county times

Sport calendars provide boost

By Staff
Kim West
Instead of selling doughnuts or setting up a roadblock, the Russellville High School and Russellville Middle School baseball teams cover a large portion of their costs each year by selling color calendars featuring the players and Diamond Girls.
Every baseball player and Diamond Girl is required to participate in the casual-wear contests, which are divided into four Tiger Guy and Tiger Girl competitions at the high school and middle school.
The 12 monthly winners for each calendar are photographed by Ward's father, Daniel Williams, who also shoots the cover winners and back-photo group shots.
The high school contests were held last weekend, while the middle school show is 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 at the RHS Auditorium with $5 admission.
"This year we had 32 boys and 21 girls participate, and we had more in the contest than last year," said Tracy Ward, who has coordinated the fundraising project since its inception in 2005 with the assistance of her daughter, Channing, and the baseball boosters. "The guys say they don't enjoy it, but if you watch them, by the end of the show they are having a ball."
Ward, who has been asked to give presentations about the fundraiser at three other school systems, said she learned about it from her niece and her husband, Russellville varsity baseball coach David Ward, who discovered that University of North Alabama male student groups had produced and sold their own calendars successfully.
"My niece did a calendar contest at Winfield for a scholarship, and David got the idea to use his players because some groups at UNA were making guy calendars," she said.
Ward said the baseball program, which includes the varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams, relies heavily on fundraising to offset the variety of costs.
"(The players) don't pay to play so we have to raise money," she said. "We have to pay for the umpires, lights, field upkeep and travel costs. And we have a new facility opening (in the spring), and that will have some needs."
Approximately 150-200 calendars are sold each year, and Ward expects to sell at least 100 this year in spite of the struggling economy. The calendars, which will be available by Jan. 2009, are priced at $10 each and include month-by-month sponsorships by local businesses.
For more information or to place an order, contact Ward at (256) 810-6684.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x