Hiland sub auction critical to academic booster fund

Hiland sub auction critical to academic booster fund
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These round subs are part of the 50 subs sold each year for the annual Hiland Academic Booster Club Sub Auction. This year’s event will take place Jan. 31 with the proceeds for yearly scholarships.

                        

It is quite amazing what kind of moments can take place when tomatoes, ham, lettuce and fresh-baked bread come together.

The 27th annual Hiland Academic Booster Club Sub Auction will take place Friday, Jan. 31, following the Hiland versus Garaway varsity boys basketball game.

“Last year we sold twenty 2-foot subs, twenty 1-foot subs and ten 6-inch subs,” Hiland Academic Booster Club treasurer Ruby Shoup said. “We raised a total of $10,285, and the Malone Alumni sub alone brought in $1,300.”

Like last year, the club will auction off twenty 2-foot subs, twenty 1-foot subs and ten 6-inch subs.

All of the hard work that goes into the evening will pay off later in the school year when the Academic Boosters begin to dole out scholarships to worthy students who are heading to college. For years the club has been helping graduating seniors who wish to continue their education ease the burden of tuition through providing scholarships.

“At the Honors Banquet in May of 2019, we were able to award 27 scholarships for a total of $31,900,” Shoup said. “Specifically we awarded 24 scholarships in the amount of $1,200 each. The monies used were from the sub auction and generous donations from area businesses and individuals.”

A lot of helping hands and caring hearts make the sub auction a reality.

Academic Booster Club Vice President Nick Hostetler was one of those scholarship recipients not long ago. He said the impact the booster club can make in helping to provide some funding for the cost of tuition is inspiring.

“As a student it is honoring and humbling to know that the community was so willing to get behind us for the next stage of life, and it remains the same for today’s students,” Hostetler said. “The amount of support that we have seen for this fundraiser over the many years has been incredible.”

On the night of the sub auction, volunteers meet at the Walnut Creek Cheese store in Berlin, where they have all of the meat and cheese sliced, buns baked, vegetables cleaned and cut, and the 50 subs ready for assembly.

Shoup said they have business representatives from the Berlin Main Street Merchants, seniors from the National Honor Society at Hiland High School, and friends and family members from the Hiland Academic Booster Club form an assembly line and work together to prepare the subs. With enough hands they can do this in 30-40 minutes.

That sets the stage for a post-game bidding war as area businesses and individuals show their support for the hard work of the booster club and the many volunteers and also recognize the commitment and effort put forth by the graduating seniors to whom these scholarships are presented to each year.

Visiting fans are always amazed at how each sub jumps up into the $200-$300 range.

What has happened with these scholarships is that they have helped support Hiland students in their efforts to get a degree. Hostetler said that has resulted in many of them going to school and returning home, where they reinvest in the community.

“It’s exciting to see kids go to college and then come back to Holmes County and take leadership roles in their communities, and the support they get from area businesses and individuals goes a long way in making that happen and helping them realize what a great community we live in here,” Hostetler said. “We are a growing community, and our young people are continuing to be a big part of that success.”

Hostetler said the booster club invites anyone who would like to help create scholarships to show up the evening of the Garaway game, enjoy the effort put forth by the two teams, and then hang around and show their support by bidding on the auctioned sandwiches.

Hiland High School is located at 4400 state Route 39 in Berlin.


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