Car raffle to benefit the Tusky Valley Booster Club
The 2024 Buick Envista compact crossover comes with an advanced safety package, side blind zone and adaptive cruise control with a sticker price of $24,585.
When the Tusky Valley Booster Club looked into the cost of replacing the old lights at the football field, the experience was nothing short of sticker shock. The quote they were given to upgrade the 1980s lights to LED lights was $250,000.
According to Rebecca Congdon, president of the booster club, it was time for a new idea for a fundraiser. While they thought about what to do, the club applied for and received grants from the Rosenberry and Reeves foundations totaling $60,000. Only $190,000 to go.
Then out of the blue, Tusky Valley Athletic Director Steve Franks received a phone call from Kyle Green, a sales manager with Ron Marhofer Buick GMC in North Canton. Green was calling to say Tusky Valley had been chosen to receive a free Buick Envista to raffle off as a fundraiser.
When Green called Franks the second weekend in March, he and Congdon were both attending the state wrestling tournament in Columbus. Green’s call was sent to voicemail.
“I left him a message saying we had a car to donate and suggested he call Marcus McMullin, our finance manager, so he would know it wasn’t a scam,” Green said. “When Steve called back, I could hear a woman in the background yelling ‘I can’t believe this.’ She was excited.”
That woman was Congdon. “I always thought it was exciting to be able to do this for area schools, but when I get a response like theirs, it’s so much fun because we know they really appreciate it.”
Congdon said the school is truly grateful. “There are a lot of things the booster club provides, and everything costs a lot,” she said. “This year football uniforms alone were $15,000. Helmets that need to be replaced every eight years run $500 apiece.”
Congdon said in May she and Franks asked all the middle school and high school coaches to send them a wish list. “The items on the wish lists totaled more than $40,000. So we had to prioritize,” she said.
Green said the car was donated to the school through the General Motors Community Action Funds program, which makes vehicles available based on the sales volume of the dealership.
“We place a certain amount of money from each car we sell into the fund, and GM matches that amount,” Green said. “We give the car to the school, because if the school gives it away, the winner doesn’t have to pay sales tax.”
In the past four years, Marhofer has donated cars to Perry, North Canton and Fairless school districts.
“Donating to smaller schools like Fairless and Tusky Valley is more satisfying for us because it means so much to them,” Green said.
Green’s parents are both graduates of Tusky Valley, and McMullin’s family lives in the school district as well.
About the car
The 2024 Buick Envista compact crossover comes with an advanced safety package, side blind zone and adaptive cruise control with a sticker price of $24,585.
“This isn’t one of those gimmicky things where you win a two-year lease on the car or anything like that,” Green said. “You win the whole car.”
Tickets are $50 each, with sales capped at 1,000. “I take the car to as many athletic events as possible,” Congdon said, “that way people can get a good look at it, sit in it and get a feel for what it’s like.”
Congdon advised people to purchase their tickets early. “A lot of people say they’ll buy the tickets closer to the date of the drawing, but then they’ll have Christmas expenses.”
The winning ticket will be drawn Dec. 14 during the girls basketball home game against Hiland. The winner does not need to be present. Tickets can be purchased online at www.tvtrojanboosters.org, at the high school office or at any Tusky Valley sporting event.