Our booster club was formed in June 1997 to help clear off the $150,000 in start-up sports-related debt incurred for the new Starr's Mill/Rising Starr complex in south Fayette County.

The year 1997-98 was a building season not only for our teams and coaches but also for our parents, supporters, Booster Club members and the business community, which collectively pulled together to help us raise funds in such diverse ways as golf tournaments, program ads, pizza sales, school dances, community sponsored events such as Brooks Day, Fayette Family Forum, and Peachtree City Last Fling.

We have sold onions, snow cones, and popcorn and soft drinks to help achieve our goal. As we move towards December 1998 it is with great satisfaction to see how far we have come in paying off debt. As of Nov. 10, 1998, we reached a total debt paid of $100,000, with $50,000 to go.

We also pulled together a group of parents from throughout our county including Brooks, Peachtree City and Fayetteville to support a common goal to better our community school system by united effort.

We are fortunate in having had Mark Barbour as president for 1997-98 and Doug Sebastian for 1998-99. Jimmy McCollough will carry us through 1999-2000. We are also very thankful for the school leadership of Dr. Chamberlain, Sam Sweat and their personnel who have all pitched in with their time and effort in the addition of an outstanding new school to our wonderful Fayette County educational environment.

To celebrate this achievement, we will be holding a Thanksgiving Potluck Party on Nov. 28 at Woodcreek Clubhouse. We invite Booster members, interested business supporters and prospective members to come look back on a very successful last one and a half years and to look forward as we continue to achieve our goals for our school athletic programs.

Richard Thompson,

Treasurer