Edward Jones-Jerome Flynn along with an anonymous donor is providing free admission for Lincoln County students to sporting events this year.
Students at Mercer County and Lincoln County will be able to attend all regular-season middle school and high school athletic events free of charge this school year thanks to donations by businesses in each county. The Lincoln County Board of Education approved to accept donations from Edward Jones-Jerome Flynn and an anonymous donor. The donations will allow all students to attend Lincoln County Athletics events free of charge.
“Students will be permitted to attend all regular-season home games free of charge, thanks to our great sponsors,” superintendent Michael Rowe said. “We wanted to get this done this year as part of our Kids Matter Most campaign. We are very appreciative of Mr. Flynn and others for making this happen for our students.”
This will not include free admission to Friday’s Death Valley Bowl to open the football season along with postseason tournaments and other fundraiser tournaments.
Farm Bureau agents Beth and Jim Owens of Harrodsburg are “excited for the opportunity” the Mercer County school system presented for them to provide free admission to all students in kindergarten through 12th grade to all regular-season middle school and high school athletic events.
New Mercer superintendent Jason Booher had a similar program at Pikeville High School before taking over at Mercer August 1.
“I took him on as a client and this was something he came to us with where he had done it before and was something we were very interested in doing,” Beth Owens sad said. “We jumped right on board because it was something we knew we wanted to do and he gave us a projected amount and that was the check we wrote.
“I was a student-athlete in high school and college. It makes a big difference whether you are playing in an empty stadium or gym or one that has plenty of fans and students there. That support makes a big difference and it also helps give kids something to do that some might not have been able to afford to do.”
Kudos to these generous sponsors for helping schools with this financial support and helping guarantee more students can watch sporting events at Lincoln and Mercer this year.
If you know more schools with the same type of sponsorships, let me know.
