At the end of 2023, the Caring Community Foundation did their annual "Caring Catalogue" which helps raise money for local causes and organizations. This year's event was a great success, raising over $66,000 for projects and organizations in the Onaga, St. Marys, Westmoreland, Frankfort, and other communities. Several of the causes this year were efforts at USD 322, including the addition of three new weight racks in the weight room.
The new weight racks are very nice and because they can serve multiple purposes, they are allowing for the removal of older equipment which is opening up room in the small area, making the physical education of our students and athletes much more efficient. The students had been able to raise money over the last several years to buy two of them, but the goal has been to replace all five existing racks.
Thanks to donations from Brandon Spevacek and other Caring Community Foundation Care Catalog sponsors, we were a little over halfway to our goal of purchasing one new weight rack this year. Then, just before the deadline for the Caring Catalogue, Tom Hood from Little Apple Toyota reached out to the foundation with interest in donating to several causes. Our weight room updates caught his eye and, in addition to other donations to the CCF, they gave the weight room nearly $5,000 to totally complete the project and purchase all three of the racks needed to complete the update.
On Monday five seniors, Mr. Kufahl, Mr. Kite, and CCF Director Susie Kufahl went to Little Apple Toyota to thank them for their donation and express their gratitude for the investment they made in our students' future. KSNT aired the story on Monday evening's 5:00pm news, which you can see along with their full write-up at the link below.
Thanks again to Tom Hood, Ray Chase, and the entire Little Apple Toyota dealership, as well as Brandon Spevacek and the other CCF Care Catalog sponsors for helping us complete this project and for improving the future of the students at USD 322!
https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/little-apple-toyota-donates-to-upgrade-onaga-hs-weight-room/