Dear Welch High Alumni,
My name is Marsha Rhodes and I am currently the president of the MVHS Baseball Boosters. We recently had a meeting and discussed ways to reach out to the public to assist us with monetary donations for the Mount View High School Golden Knight baseball team, under the direction of veteran coach, Nick Shaffron. We agreed to reach out to the almuni of the feeder schools of MVHS and ask for assistance in this matter.
Support from the community is necessary to help cover the cost of fielding a high school team. The McDowell Co. Board of Education does not have any funding available for sports activities. Therefore, we are solely reliant on donations from good people like you.
Here are a few of the expenses we are facing just this season alone and your donations would be used for this. First we have to cover the cost of buses for transportation to away games -- average cost is $200-300 -- depending on the trip and we have 12 away games. We also feed the players after away games and funding is needed for that as well. This year we have also had to replace several pairs of pants at $10 a pair and jerseys at $14 a shirt. Coach Shaffron has also had to order baseballs and equipment for the season.
This year we are under an even larger burden. The maintenance dept. from the board office has advised Coach Shaffron that the scoreboard, which has been in place for many years, has been "patched" back together to the point it can't be patched anymore. So we are seeking a person and/or business that would be able to donate a new scoreboard for the field. Our concession stand has suffered a terrible blow since close of last season. Our refrigerator that we store all of our concessions stand supplies in has went out and we need to replace it and we need a new popcorn machine.
The 2008/2009 baseball season kicks off on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at Pikeview. MVHS baseball season runs from 3/19/09 and concludes games at Nick Shaffron Field for sectionals the week of May 11-15, 2009. Last year MVHS baseball team won sectionals at the field. The team's goal is to reach the state tournament this year. Your help and support will make this a successful season for the team.
If you wish to make a donation, you may send your contributions to Mount View High School Baseball Boosters, c/o Nick Shaffron, 950 Mount View Road, Welch, WV 24801. Phone number to the school, where Coach Shaffron may be contacted, is 304-436-2939.
When you invest in our young people, you are investing in the future.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Mount View High School Baseball Boosters
President - Marsha Rhodes
Vice-Pres. - Tammy Cochran
Secretary - Susan Hardy
Treasurer - Wanda Day

Being a former asst. principal and athletic director at Cabell Midland High School in Cabell county, and I well aware of costs of maintaining high school athletics. You may seek ok the Pepsi Cola or Coke Cola companies to see if they would donate a score board. The school may have to agree to use their products for a certain period of time under a contractual agreement, but I know that they have furnished score boards in the past, not only to baseball fields but inside scoreboards also for basketball. A good way of fund raising is to have golf scrable tournaments and host dinners at the school and charge admission. Have you sold advertising to local merchants to put up signs around the baseball fence....also, if the local school administration agrees, you could have a ballgame on school time some afternoon..say from 12:30 til school is out...most of school kids would attend and charge a small fee to get in....if kids didnt want to go...they would attend classes as ususal....we did this at Huntington East High School, not for baseball, but we supported girls baskeball by having a game on two on school time in the afternoon and charged a dollar or two and we would have most of the kids attending.....also...yard sales....like having people donate things they dont need and have it at the school parking lot...this you could do 2 or 3 times.....this is just some ideas off the top of my head....Hope I have been of some help....good luck...and bless you for helping your school and the kids that attend....Ron Oliver ...Welch High School class of 1963. P S.....I also worked at Huntington East High School before moving on to the Cabell Midland High school to give you idea of what CMHS was like when it first opened....2550 students in grades 9-12...we had 1 varsity football team...2 jv teams and 2 freshman teams...1 boys basketball team...2 jv teams and 1 freshman teams..same for the girls....had large volleyball team..and 2 jvs....wrestling....varsity...jv and freshman....baseball...varsity ..jv..and freshman....cross country..boys..girls...track..boys and girls....ect...ect.....not counting cheerleaders......so I am aware of funding...but we were fortunate that we met our goals and our local maintance people at the board of edu were very helpful...plus donations from parents..not in just money..but in work...sweat...they poured into our fields....the maitaining of roads around our large campus to the various fields....people volunteering their equipment to cut grass...line fields..ect..ect...so again good luck..and keep up the good work...all of you are very special.

sorry for so many spelling mistakes...having trouble with my lap top with keys sticking...I can spell scramble..and maintance...ect. Also forgot to mention that I am retired now..and in Florda for the winter...returning to Huntington the middle of April.