STAR JOURNAL REPORT

More than $260,000 in equipment, jerseys, scoreboards and the like has been donated to Rhinelander athletic programs since 2002. The benefactor is Rhinelander Athletic Booster Club (ABC), which is made up currently of 140 members living in Rhinelander and  around the country.

“With  school budgets being tighter these days, ABC is becoming more and more important,” said club President Brandon Karaba. “Most of the sports have their own organizations, like the Grid Iron Club and RBA, but they can only do so much, so we’re there for everybody.”

ABC is gearing up for its largest fund raiser of the year, the 36th annual 5-person golf scramble Aug. 5 at  Rhinelander Country Club, with flights at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Karaba said there are pin prizes, raffles, gambling holes, a putting contest, live auction and steak dinner. Cost per golfer is $95 which includes a cart and dinner; dinner only is $25.

The one-day event can raise anywhere from $8,000 – $15,000 for Rhinelander athletics, which includes elementary, middle school and high school sports. The club also sells advertising on the RHS varsity sports calendar and earns money through membership.

In this photo from 2013, these young ball players are volunteering at the ABC golf scramble. The event is the largest fund raiser of the year for the Rhinelander ABC. Submitted file photo.

“Coaches appreciate what we do and do what they can to get our name out there,” Karaba said. “One of the cool things for the golf scramble is that kids from different sports volunteer to carry  golf bags. It’s a way they can show their appreciation to the golfers.”

Despite being a smaller school district, Karaba noted that Rhinelander offers more than 20 sports – only a couple fewer than Stevens Point Area School District, which is one of the largest in the state. A good thing, Karaba said, because “we want to see kids out and active.”

Anyone interested in golfing in the scramble, sponsored by Rhinelander GM and Toyota, and Aspirus can call the Rhinelander Country Club to register, 715-365-3201.

A single membership for the ABC is $30 annually, a family or couple is $50 and the business membership is $75 per year. Visit the club’s Facebook page for more information.