Goodrich – The Goodrich Athletic Booster Club may be down, but they are determined to prove they will survive their latest setback.
Former sports booster treasurer and suspect, Tonya Ann Yannaki, 46, was accused of embezzling $50,000 from the club’s account on Friday, Oct. 26 and confessed to taking the money between October 2005 and September 2007.
‘We are devastated and crippled by this. There are so many parents from years back who worked so hard to earn this money,? said Chrys Tangney, club president. It’s hard to realize we knew someone that could do something like this, especially someone who would do this to kids.?
The athletic booster club has decided to hold an emergency meeting for the community at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 6 at the Goodrich High School media center to discuss fundraising ideas and anything else the community thinks would be a good way to get money back to the kids.
‘Everyone is invited to attend this meeting, I would love to hear everyone’s ideas,? said Tangney.
She believes her town of Goodrich to be a warm and caring community during this bad time however Tangney said she knows recovering the money will be a long and arduous task.
The boosters club makes the majority of their money from bingo, however even that will take a hit.
Tangney said all of the sports teams are used to getting $400 for each of the six or seven coaches when they volunteer to run the bingos every week.
‘We had to meet with all of the coaches and say either we fold, or they have to take a cut. They agreed to take $250 for each team instead of the $400 they are used to getting,? said Tangney. ‘The parents and the kids will definitely feel this financial loss, however the coaches were really wonderful about it, and nobody pointed any fingers.?
Money to help offset the costs of each sport isn’t the only thing the Goodrich Booster Club has been able to do. Some of the other things the club has been able to help fund in past years are: baseball dugouts, an athletic field press box, athletic fencing, portable bleachers, sports scoreboards and the athletic field concessions stand.
The boosters hope to get at least ten more people out to play bingo on Friday nights to help recoup their losses. ‘That would make a big difference,? said Tangney.
Boosters Vice-President Karen Geml said the club’s biggest surprise was when they heard suspect Tonya Ann Yannaki say she, ‘didn’t think taking the money hurt the board of officers in the booster club.?
‘It wasn’t the club officers? money. The money was raised by the community. They have worked hard over the last 10 years to raise money by working bingos every Friday night and that is how the club boosters earn the majority of their money. We need the community to come together to try and rebuild the boosters, and hopefully we will be able to make it better than it was,? said Geml.
How to help: Checks may be made out to the Goodrich High School Athletic Boosters and sent to – Linda May, Goodrich High School Athletic Boosters, 8029 Gale Road, Goodrich, MI 48438. Details: (810) 591-2251.