Booster Club bridges the funding gap in LH
2009-'10 Chairman Bill Keffer is happy to answer that question for any inquiring minds.
"We are the Academic Booster Club for Lake Highlands High School," says Keffer.
"What Robin Hood taketh away, Wild for Cats is working to replaceth - and this is not how I usually talketh!"
Wild for Cats is a component of the RISD Tomorrow Fund, Inc. which is a 501(c)3 charitable education foundation.
Their mission is very similar to that of the Tomorrow Fund in that they raise money to help bridge the financial gap many academic programs face every year.
Lake Highlands High School Principal, Walter Kelly, stresses the importance of this organization.
"Wild for Cats epitomizes the importance of a strong connection between the high school and the community," says Kelly. "The organization provides the most tangible evidence of that relationship in Lake Highlands."
"Wild for Cats, through the funds they raise for our academic programs, provide us the opportunity to do more than simply give each child an adequate education," he continues.
"We want to go above and beyond for our kids."
The organization was founded in 2005 by Jim Adams, who led the charge in raising over $500,000 during the past four years.
While that’s certainly a large number, the continuing need to raise additional dollars starts over each year, as each new school year begins.
Like many organizations that require the time and effort of volunteers to raise money, people move on and new leadership is needed to carry the torch.
Enter Bill Keffer.
Wild for Cats operates on a school calendar year, so Bill assumed the chairman role in June, and the wheels started spinning immediately.
As many LH residents are already aware, Bill Keffer is perfectly suited for the job at hand.
A former two-term State Representative and talented litigation attorney, Keffer has the skill-set needed to carry the torch, while simultaneously re-tooling the organization in an effort to take it to the next level.
Keffer spoke with LH Today about the need to prioritize tasks, get the wheels in motion and accomplish the group’s goals.
"The first order of business was to get an official charter in place to provide structure, including the designation now of next year's chairman, who will be long-time Lake Highlands volunteer Kathy Bankhead," explains Keffer.
"The chairmanship turns over every year, so it made sense to provide an official designation for the individual to whom the baton will be passed."
According to Keffer, the steering committee then agreed that a re-branding campaign was needed to help bring attention to the Wild for Cats Campaign.
With the help of some local graphic artists, several versions of a new logo were proposed.
