By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The Friends of Massey-Vanier Vikings (FMMV) initiative is gaining traction as it continues its efforts to eliminate athletic fees for students at Massey-Vanier High School. In a recent interview, Bob Kay, spokesperson for FMMV, provided updates on the group’s progress, upcoming fundraising efforts, and the positive impact of their work.
According to Kay, FMMV has been working for over five years to eliminate the athletic fees students are required to pay in order to participate in sports. “Our goal for the student-athletes is to eliminate athletic fees totally and to set up a website where former alumni and anyone else who wants to can donate directly,” Kay explained.
Reflecting on recent progress, Kay shared that the efforts from last year’s fundraising campaign were a success. “Last year after Brome Fair… soccer costs were cut in half, and the winter season, with the money raised, the fees were lowered,” Kay said. He also noted that in the time since, much work has been done with notaries and lawyers, and FMMV is now in the final stages of their plan. “Hopefully, our goal will be achieved quite soon,” he added.
FMMV will once again be fundraising at the Brome Fair this year, hosting a booth in a similar location as last year. “We’re doing approximately the same thing that we did last year,” said Kay, emphasizing that the goal remains the same: to raise as much money as possible for the student-athletes. “We’re hoping to see as many people as possible and to get as much money as we can.”
While FMMV is still working on setting up a dedicated website, those who want to help can contact Kay directly. He mentioned that last year he received several emails from those interested in contributing and expects more this year. Kay can be reached at: kay.bob20@gmail.com
The impact of FMMV’s efforts has been significant. Kay shared that lowering fees last year resulted in a noticeable increase in the number of students signing up to participate in sports. “There were more kids signing up to play, which means we’re basically doing the thing that we need to do, because some kids were not playing because they couldn’t afford it,” he said. Kay emphasized the importance of ensuring all students have access to school sports, regardless of financial constraints. “There are no kids in school who should not be able to play because they can’t afford it. That should never happen.”
With another exciting Brome Fair on the horizon, FMMV remains hopeful that their fundraising efforts will continue to support students in their athletic pursuits. The group’s work has already shown positive results, and they are committed to ensuring that no student is left on the sidelines due to financial barriers.