Preston Ford of Burton is donating a Ford F-150 pickup truck that will be raffled off by the Cardinal Athletic Boosters to help cover Cardinal Schools’ pay-to-participate athletic program.
Preston Ford of Burton is donating a Ford F-150 pickup truck that will be raffled off by the Cardinal Athletic Boosters to help cover Cardinal Schools’ pay-to-participate athletic program.
Pat Preston, owner of Preston Auto Group, met with Cardinal Schools Superintendent Jack Cunningham and more than a dozen Cardinal athletes Jan. 23 at his Ford dealership.
“We’re trying to raise $200,000 annually for all groups who have (pay-to-participate) fees,” Preston told them, adding he plans to provide a vehicle for a raffle toward that goal every year.
The red pickup truck is “loaded” with all the up-to-date technology, he said, adding he invited students to take a look inside the cab when it pulled up, freshly washed, outside the showroom.
He asked what the athletes are studying and when a couple said they are enrolled in Auburn Career Center’s auto collision program, Preston asked if they would like to work for Preston Auto Group.
He introduced Neal Shirk, his service director, who attended ACC and graduated from Cardinal High School in 1994.
“He’s real smart. I attribute that to a great education,” Preston said, adding other Cardinal graduates work at the auto center.
Cunningham said in a phone interview tickets are $20 each and will be sold at the school, on the district website, through social media and at games this year.
“The truck will be on display all over,” he said, adding there will be a QR code in its window so passers-by can use their cell phones to buy tickets.
“We’re trying to sell 6,000 tickets. That would eliminate pay-to-participate for students and families for 2024-2025,” Cunningham said. “Working with the Preston Auto Group, I’m confident we will have a raffle each year.”
For the last five years, the cost of school athletic programs was supported by the Joe Peters Annual Pig Roast and Friends of Mike. June 11, 2022, was the last such event.
After raising about $250,000 in five years, Joyce Peters said Jan. 28, “The family just decided to move on.”
Cunningham said he and Athletic Director Jimmy Soltis have been brainstorming on ways to fill that gap and Preston’s offer of a truck gave them some traction. He donated a Kia Sportage to the Cardinal Athletic Boosters for a raffle in a previous year.
This year, Preston’s contribution acted as a motivator.
“When Pat committed a vehicle for a raffle, it kinda got our wheels turning,” Cunningham said, adding the dedication of those who fundraised in previous years will be missed, but expecting one group to carry that burden long-term is not fair.
“We know what a task it is to fundraise all the time,” Cunningham said.
He outlined some other possible avenues at the Jan. 25 Cardinal Schools Board of Education workshop when board members agreed to subsidize the athletic program for the 2023-2024 school year.
Ideas Cunningham presented included naming rights for district facilities, banners in gyms and fields, working with the Cardinal alumni group and Hall of Fame people, selling advertisements on the school website and working with corporations for financial support.
The drawing for the truck will be held at the home game Oct. 13 and there will be four drawings for $1,000 each month beginning in April, Cunningham said, adding the tickets of the winners of the monthly drawing will remain in contention for the truck, as well.
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