Sports are an integral part of high school. In Johnstown, the community loves showing their purple and gold pride as they cheer on their athletes at Friday night football games, lacrosse, soccer and field hockey games, swim meets, volleyball matches and many other sporting events.
But back in June, Johnstown wasn’t sure if they would be able to offer sports for the 2019-2020 school year due to budget constraints.
The community rallied, and students and administration raised more than $90,000 in just a few weeks with community support. And the support didn’t stop there, today, the district has raised nearly $200,000 of the $311,000 needed for the athletics program.
Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family were happy to donate $10,000 to Johnstown for their athletics programs.
Christine Krempa, Varsity Field Hockey Coach and Steering Committee Member for the Fundraising Efforts said,“The entire Johnstown community, it’s student athletes, coaches, parents, alumni and supporters, are eternally grateful to Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family for their incredibly generous donation towards our efforts to restore athletics in Johnstown.
Their donation affirms a simple statement, but one that is often overlooked. Sports help to build character, increase confidence, motivate kids to stay in school and aim for higher education; teaching life lessons that extend well beyond the playing field.
Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family’s commitment to giving back to the communities in which they operate their shops is truly amazing and so appreciated.”
“As a current resident and former student-athlete in Johnstown, this donation means a lot to me. I could never imagine attending school and not having the opportunity to play sports. Currently, with 60% of students in Johnstown playing sports, this donation will have a major impact on a large portion of the student body. Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family are committed to giving back to the communities in which their shops are located, and I’m proud to work for such a great company” according to Max Spritzer, 12-year Stewart’s Partner.
Stewart’s gives $7.5 million/year, mostly to charities in our customers area. $5 million of it comes from Dake Family Foundations so it does not impact our Partners ESOP/ Profit Sharing.