September 26, 2019
Dear Principal Millard:
The purpose of this letter is to describe the activities of the Wolverine Athletic Booster Club
(WABC) for the past academic year, 2018-2019. We will describe our fundraising and
expenditures and other activities so that our operations are more transparent and accessible to
you and the West Potomac community. We intend to make this letter an annual exercise and
publicly available.
Fundraising
During the past academic year, WABC raised approximately $120,449 and spent $156,860. The
higher level of spending is due mainly to two factors: 1) we overpaid the DSA fund by about
$13,000 and 2) we spent $53,000 on capital improvements (mainly the Wolverdome Project
described below) after budgeting only $40,000 for that purpose. Most of the extra spending on
the Wolverdome Project was caused by the need to refinish the gym floor after the community
use/masking tape issue. Although the county refunded us the $11,000 we spent to fix the floor,
that money wasn’t booked until after this fiscal year ended.
Our larger fundraising activities and net results were as follows: Membership and family passes
$33,958, Oktoberfest $28,838, Spring Mulch Sale $17,391, Christmas Tree Sales $15,149,
Company Sponsorships $12,370, and Concessions $10,636. Note that football game
concessions are not counted in this total as they are administered by and benefit Band.
We should point out that WABC also supported fundraising activities above and beyond those
listed here that benefitted specific teams. In the fall and the spring, we administered
“restaurant card” sales that provided funds to the teams of the athletes who sold the cards.
These figures are not included above. WABC also supported several other team-specific
initiatives that directly benefitted team accounts and are also not included above.
Expenditures
WABC was very proud to support the Wolverdome Project that provided a much-needed
facelift to the West Potomac Gymnasium. We spent approximately $55,320 in conjunction with
your office and budgetary support to pay for the new mural on the west wall of the gym, new
logos and branding on the gym floor itself and a completely redesigned and decorated “sports
lobby” inside Door 13. We preserved and enhanced the “Mary Fiedor Gymnasium” designation
above the main visitor entrance, helped refurbish the finish of the gym floor and made for a
more coherent experience for members of the community when they visit West Potomac for a
sporting event. Our very successful Oktoberfest fundraising event was specifically marketed to
raise money for the Wolverdome Project.
We provided $73,389 in direct budget support for West Potomac athletic activities. While we
cannot breakdown what these funds paid for specifically, we understand that this budgetary
support provided for transportation, tournament fees, uniforms, equipment, officials and the
like.
In addition, WABC spent $20,000 for the turf football field, per the arrangement from some
years ago with Fairfax County. We have also earmarked (but not spent) $25,000 in booster club
funds for a solution to the bathroom problem at the football field. WABC also worked with
PTSA and spent $2,330 on landscaping around the high school.
Other Initiatives
As you know, WABC recommended the launch of a Hall of Fame Committee in the Fall of 2018,
and while this project has been carried out under different auspices, we are proud to support
its activities through fundraising, publicity and other means.
The booster club hosted our regional representative to the Fairfax County School Board, Ms.
Karen Corbett Sanders, for a discussion of the “One Fairfax” policy and its impact on West
Potomac and our area. In part as a result of that conversation, we are beginning to work with
the booster clubs of Mount Vernon and South County high schools to enhance our advocacy
efforts in certain areas.
We are also seeking to work more closely with the Office of the Director of Student Activities to
better explain our spending, particularly as it relates to direct budget support for West Potomac
athletic activities. We appreciate the assistance you have already provided in this regard.
Overall, we are very pleased to be able to support West Potomac High School Athletic Programs
and the school generally. We hope that you will continue to let us know what we can do to
support your efforts.
Ad Astra Per Aspera!
Very best regards,
The WABC Executive Board
Lester Munson, President
Tony Castrilli, Vice President
Molly Prater, Secretary
Susie Jackson, Treasurer
Dear Principal Millard:
The purpose of this letter is to describe the activities of the Wolverine Athletic Booster Club
(WABC) for the past academic year, 2018-2019. We will describe our fundraising and
expenditures and other activities so that our operations are more transparent and accessible to
you and the West Potomac community. We intend to make this letter an annual exercise and
publicly available.
Fundraising
During the past academic year, WABC raised approximately $120,449 and spent $156,860. The
higher level of spending is due mainly to two factors: 1) we overpaid the DSA fund by about
$13,000 and 2) we spent $53,000 on capital improvements (mainly the Wolverdome Project
described below) after budgeting only $40,000 for that purpose. Most of the extra spending on
the Wolverdome Project was caused by the need to refinish the gym floor after the community
use/masking tape issue. Although the county refunded us the $11,000 we spent to fix the floor,
that money wasn’t booked until after this fiscal year ended.
Our larger fundraising activities and net results were as follows: Membership and family passes
$33,958, Oktoberfest $28,838, Spring Mulch Sale $17,391, Christmas Tree Sales $15,149,
Company Sponsorships $12,370, and Concessions $10,636. Note that football game
concessions are not counted in this total as they are administered by and benefit Band.
We should point out that WABC also supported fundraising activities above and beyond those
listed here that benefitted specific teams. In the fall and the spring, we administered
“restaurant card” sales that provided funds to the teams of the athletes who sold the cards.
These figures are not included above. WABC also supported several other team-specific
initiatives that directly benefitted team accounts and are also not included above.
Expenditures
WABC was very proud to support the Wolverdome Project that provided a much-needed
facelift to the West Potomac Gymnasium. We spent approximately $55,320 in conjunction with
your office and budgetary support to pay for the new mural on the west wall of the gym, new
logos and branding on the gym floor itself and a completely redesigned and decorated “sports
lobby” inside Door 13. We preserved and enhanced the “Mary Fiedor Gymnasium” designation
above the main visitor entrance, helped refurbish the finish of the gym floor and made for a
more coherent experience for members of the community when they visit West Potomac for a
sporting event. Our very successful Oktoberfest fundraising event was specifically marketed to
raise money for the Wolverdome Project.
We provided $73,389 in direct budget support for West Potomac athletic activities. While we
cannot breakdown what these funds paid for specifically, we understand that this budgetary
support provided for transportation, tournament fees, uniforms, equipment, officials and the
like.
In addition, WABC spent $20,000 for the turf football field, per the arrangement from some
years ago with Fairfax County. We have also earmarked (but not spent) $25,000 in booster club
funds for a solution to the bathroom problem at the football field. WABC also worked with
PTSA and spent $2,330 on landscaping around the high school.
Other Initiatives
As you know, WABC recommended the launch of a Hall of Fame Committee in the Fall of 2018,
and while this project has been carried out under different auspices, we are proud to support
its activities through fundraising, publicity and other means.
The booster club hosted our regional representative to the Fairfax County School Board, Ms.
Karen Corbett Sanders, for a discussion of the “One Fairfax” policy and its impact on West
Potomac and our area. In part as a result of that conversation, we are beginning to work with
the booster clubs of Mount Vernon and South County high schools to enhance our advocacy
efforts in certain areas.
We are also seeking to work more closely with the Office of the Director of Student Activities to
better explain our spending, particularly as it relates to direct budget support for West Potomac
athletic activities. We appreciate the assistance you have already provided in this regard.
Overall, we are very pleased to be able to support West Potomac High School Athletic Programs
and the school generally. We hope that you will continue to let us know what we can do to
support your efforts.
Ad Astra Per Aspera!
Very best regards,
The WABC Executive Board
Lester Munson, President
Tony Castrilli, Vice President
Molly Prater, Secretary
Susie Jackson, Treasurer