A recent mini-grant from the Barry Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is helping the Hastings Middle School football team add new equipment to its practice field.
The $290 grant will provide the team with two 12-pound heavy-duty foam stand-up blocking dummies. The equipment will give students an additional tool to practice proper tackling techniques in a controlled setting, without having to tackle another player.
The grant request was submitted by eighth-grade student Lucas Timothy Evers, who identified the need for additional tackling equipment for the football program. Evers noted that the new dummies will be especially helpful for students who are new to the sport and will provide equipment that can be used by future classes of student-athletes.
The new equipment is expected to serve seventh- and eighth-grade students and could remain in use for years with proper care. The application estimates the dummies could last five to 10 years, allowing multiple groups of students to benefit from the investment.
The Barry Community Foundation
Youth Advisory Council is a youth-led group that provides young people with opportunities to learn about philanthropy, identify community needs and make funding decisions that benefit youth throughout Barry County.
