For a time, the leaders of Tri-Town Youth Athletics Association considered skipping the basketball season because they knew they couldn't pay new fees imposed by the Alexander CSD on use of the school's gym.
Then they got an offer from St. Vincent's Church in Alexander -- low-cost use of the gym there.
"Someone was kind enough to reach out and asked if we knew the building was sitting there not being used a ton and they offered to let us use it," said Lisa Lyons, president of Tri-Town. "It's worked out good for us so far."
The school district announced last spring that it would start charging Tri-Town a fee for use of school facilities even though Tri-Town helps develop student-athletes for the Trojans and the community has already made a substantial investment in The Field of Dreams, which the school district uses.
Tri-Town was able to reconstruct its football field in the park behind the Alexander Fire Department rec hall over the summer, but Lyons said the board didn't think it had access to a low-cost gym for basketball for the winter, so there was talk of canceling the season since the district's new fees proved unaffordable.
The uncertainty of the season, Lyons said, meant that registration this year was lower than normal, a dropoff from about 100 participates, down to 70 or 75.
But practices are underway and there will be games played this Saturday at St. Vincent's.
There's no set fee for the association to use St. Vincent's, Lyons explained. The association will make a payment from available registration funds after paying for insurance, uniforms and equipment.
St. Vincent is the patron saint of charities.
The season runs through the end of January.
Previously:
Congratulations to Lisa Lyons
Congratulations to Lisa Lyons on another victory for the youths in her charge, as well as greater Alexander community. Her altruism is inspiring. Very commendable coverage of all things Alexander over the past year, Howard. I was interested to know more about St Vincent and after a googled search through three pages of featured content regarding some band that has usurped his name I finally found an article regarding the marter himself. St Vincent of Zaragossa of Spain was tortured by the roman governor to make him recant and to make him give up his books for burning. St Vincent was never broken and his resistance resulted in the degradation of the would be book burner. As well as the salvation of a number of the would be book burner's torturers and jailers. It also led to his death, hence his martyrdom. Great stuff.