Football, volleyball use Snap! Raise to fundraise online

ROCKINGHAM — The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many individuals and local businesses financially, and the Richmond Senior High School football team is no exception.

The Raiders are currently holding a virtual online fundraiser using the Snap! Raise platform to raise money for the team to pay for basic needs and equipment, in order to make up for an expected budget shortfall, according to head coach Bryan Till.

So far, the team has raised $11,615, with 21 days remaining in the fundraiser. The team has exceeded its expectations to the point that the fundraising goal was increased from its original $12,000 to $20,000.

“I am extremely encouraged that even in such a tough time our community continues to support us so well,” Till said. “You can see by the money raised that the community response has been largely positive. We will be in need of these funds moving forward so it is great to see them coming in.

Till said the team hasn’t had the usual gate revenue that it normally would have at this point in the fall if they were currently playing. The Daily Journal previously reported that the RSHS athletic department generated $60,000 in revenue in 2019 during the fall, when football is typically played.

Once the amended season eventually comes around in February, there’s no predicting whether fans will be allowed into the games, and the ensuing gate revenue that comes with them, so Till said they wanted to prepare for any scenarios and eventualities.

“Expenses for this season will still be there,” Till said. “With all the uncertainty, we don’t know what those will be, so the best course of action in any good organization is to be proactive and try to be as prepared as possible.”

The Richmond County school board approved the use of the Snap! Raise online platform for fundraising purposes back in July. Now all of Richmond’s athletics teams have the option of using the Snap! Raise platform if they choose to do so.

Till said they had been thinking about how they could target Raider alumni and fans that live outside the county and region for several years, and Snap! Raise provided them with a platform to be able to do that.

“The COVID situation makes virtual fundraising that much more needed since it is harder to get in front of people,” Till said. “Several schools in our area have had good success with Snap! Raise so we knew they had a proven track record.”

Volleyball gets in on the action

In addition to football’s Snap! Raise fundraiser, volleyball is having fundraisers of their own to raise money for its upcoming season in November.

Head coach Ashleigh Larsen said they are planning to start their own online Snap! Raise campaign on Monday Nov. 2.

But, Larsen was also looking for local businesses who might want to pledge money to the team to join the “Heavy Hitters Club” sponsor board.

Businesses could pledge $100 and get their logo displayed on the sponsor board in the gym, plus they will get team t-shirts as a token of appreciation.

“We are just redoing our sponsors,” Larsen said. “I have contacted those who have already contributed last year. Normally, we offer two free tickets, but we cannot do that this year (due to COVID restrictions), so I am offering t-shirts. I had some businesses I have been unable to get in contact with and new businesses interested, so we are about filled up.”

Those that are interested in donating to football’s Snap! Raise fundraiser can go to: https://www.snap-raise.com/v2/fundraisers/richmond-sr-high-football-2020?fbclid=IwAR2EW8bncoF38cddxEMLTCHHOWOHRkd_kFKTS-Fz7Ne7qyzGO_F8HBzKOfo#/