Students in Sayreville who participate in the borough’s Leprechauns football and cheerleading programs are looking for some lucky charms.
Though registration is already open for the upcoming season, which begins Aug. 1, at least $15,000 worth of equipment that was destroyed during superstorm Sandy in October needs to be replaced.
The playing field and equipment shed, located on MacArthur Avenue, were flooded during the storm.
“We lost pads, jerseys and football pants, all in totes,” according to Kim Wachter, a volunteer board member with the Leprechauns and a member of its Ways and Means Committee.
The overflow of water and sewage into the Leprechauns’ shed destroyed nearly everything the team owned, save for a large number of helmets that were not returned by the time Sandy hit on Oct. 29. “Normally, the team collects equipment in mid-October. But, with the storm, it just didn’t happen,” Wachter said. “It was good in a way that they didn’t do equipment returns, because if they did collect everything, we would have lost 150 helmets on top of everything else we lost.”
The team has started replacing the equipment that it lost, but it is turning to the community for help. Wachter said two fundraisers will be held in the next few weeks: a Coach Bag Bingo on Friday, April 19 at the Sayreville Senior Center, and a Dine-In at T.G.I Friday’s in Old Bridge on May 1.
“We are calling on the community to help with the rebuild of this organization so the children can look forward to this season and to re-establish the values set … in this program,” Wachter said.
For more information on fundraising events, donating to the team, sponsoring the team or registration for the football or cheerleading programs, visit sayrevilleleps.com.