By Jed Buelow
Tomahawk Leader Co-Editor, Sports, Nature Editor
What’s better than a tail gate party and playing golf after dark using balls that glow? It is the fact that over the past 48 years the Hatchet Booster Club has raised and given back nearly $270,000 to support Tomahawk athletics.
On Sept. 21, the Booster Club continued the tradition of boosting Hatchet athletics by hosting their annual Tailgate Social and Glow Golf tourney held at Inshalla Country Club. The night of fun and entertainment including food provided by Outboards Bar and Grill featured a number of raffles including a pair of tickets to attend a Green Bay Packer game at Lambeau Field.
Those brave enough to hit the links as the sun went down also enjoyed a round of golf. A couple Hatchet football coaches in John Long and Sam Hernandez along with youth coach Dr. Dewey Reilly took home the Glow Golf trophy after winning the friendly competition.
Funds from the tailgate party will go help to support an impressive list of projects the Booster Club has supported over the last nearly half-decade. Last year alone the group contributed nearly $13,000 in funds to help purchase a new softball pitching machine, batting cage net, hockey jerseys, WFSCA Special Olympics and helped pay for scholarships that were awarded to six male and female Hatchet athletes.
Another big part of what Booster Club funds go to help support is covering the cost to have an athletic trainer at sporting events throughout the school year, which is critical to assure the immediate health of Hatchet athletes in the event of an injury.
The Hatchet Pride Pump at BP on North Fourth Street has been a big shot in the arm over the past several years for the organization. Two cents of every gallon of gas sold (Pump eight) is donated to the Hatchet Booster Club. The club also holds the Friday Calendar Drawing each sports season where a $50 winner is drawn every week from Sept. 27 through July 5, 2020 – and the first Friday of every month the winner gets $100.
Organizers note support from the community goes a long way towards helping improve and maintain Tomahawk’s sports program and facilities. For more information and how to become a member and support Tomahawk athletics, visit www.hatchetboosterclub.com. The annual membership fee to be a member of the Hatchet Booster Club is $35 and checks may be sent through mail to: Hatchet Booster Club, C/O Becky Theiler, P.O. Box 191, Tomahawk, Wis. 54487.