Recently, the KHSAA received a notice and some newspaper clippings about a donation the Fifth Region Officials Association made to the Nelson County schools Youth Services Center. Upon receiving the note, the KHSAA contacted the regional officials associations across the state to find out more about the various ways organizations are giving back to their communities. The overwhelming responses received by the KHSAA are detailed below, but this list is in no way a comprehensive account.
1st Region Baseball – Last season, a small boy was killed in a bus wreck in Carlisle County, and the officials of the Western Kentucky Baseball Association each contributed one game fee ($50) to the family at the regional tournament. This year, the association is starting a Joey Fosko Memorial Scholarship to be given every year to a Region 1 baseball player.
1st Region Soccer – The Western Kentucky Soccer Officials Association (WKSOA) has provided donations to the American Cancer Society (ACS) for the past four years. The WKSOA has selected the third week in September as its designated “awareness” week for the selected philanthropy, and participating members of the WKSOA wear a unique t-shirt to commemorate the event.
The WKSOA works to coordinate its efforts to support this philanthropy with any school activity that may be commemorating the same organization. In some instances, officials assigned to a game that is featuring the ACS by the home team have found themselves helping with a variety of activities centered around collecting money for the cause. To date, the WKSOA has contributed $3,950 to this cause, but hopes to continue to grow its involvement in the future.
2nd Region Basketball – The association contributed $1,000 to the family of official Michael Hamilton, who passed away this December while officiating a middle school game.
3rd Region Softball – The Third Region Softball Umpires Associations has donated during the Team Lauren Cancer Awareness Round Robin Tournament, which celebrates the life of Lauren June Girten, a DCHS student and member of the Lady Panthers softball team who lost her battle with cancer in March 2010.
3rd Region Baseball – The Third Region Umpires Association has donated $400 the past few years to the Team Lauren Cancer Fund, Hospice, American Legion and local league playgrounds. Some of the contributions have been through donations, while others were memorial contributions on behalf of family members of the association.
4th Region Basketball – Since 2007, the Southern Kentucky Basketball Officials Association has awarded a $500 scholarship to one deserving young lady and one deserving young man on an annual basis to assist with college expenses.
The officials association also participates in the annual Jimmy V Foundation “Blow the Whistle on Cancer” campaign to bring awareness to cancer research. Officials wear pink whistles each year for two weeks during the season and donate a game check at their respective level (Varsity/JV/Middle School) to the cause. In the past, the SKBOA has donated over $3,000 in a given year to the Jimmy V Foundation and averages over $2,000 each year in donations.
4th Region Baseball – The South Central Kentucky Baseball Umpires Association receives $50 for each preseason scrimmage it works, and takes at least $500 of that money and awards a scholarship to a deserving college student who umpires in the association. The award is named The Larry Holt Scholarship in honor of the 30-plus year umpire who died of an acute illness in 2009. The scholarship is presented each year during the semifinals of the regional tournament.
4th Region Volleyball – Since 2007, the South Central Kentucky Volleyball Officials Association has awarded a $500 scholarship to a deserving young lady on an annual basis to assist with college expenses.
5th Region – The Fifth Region Officials Association made a donation in January of nearly $1,000 to Nelson County schools Youth Services Center director Margaret Hockensmith, with the money intended to benefit a worth student attending Nelson County HS. The money was earmarked by the association to make needed purchases for a deserving student and his family to help provide a merry Christmas for the recipients.
6th and 7th Region Basketball – The KBOA has officiated the Special Olympics for over 20 years. During that time, the group has also contributed money to a “Christmas Fund” each year in order to provide Christmas for families that would otherwise not have a Christmas without support. More than $70,000 has been donated to the fund during that time, with all money contributed by the membership.
Starting this year, the association is also contributing money to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.
6th and 7th Region Softball – The Fast Pitch Softball Umpires Association has umpired the Kentucky Special Olympics tournament for many years at no cost to the organization, while also providing free services to other associations like the Crusade for Children and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
6th and 7th Region Volleyball – Donates to the Susan B. Komen fund and the Lied Transplant Center in Omaha annually.
9th Region – Basketball – Every February, the 9th Region Basketball Officials Association volunteers its basketball officiating services for the good of the Special Olympics organization at their Regional Basketball Tournament. In total, nearly 30 officials volunteer their services throughout the day at various gymnasiums across Northern Kentucky. This February marks the 20-year anniversary of the NRBOA’s partnership with Special Olympics in this capacity.
“Without question, every year there aren’t enough games in the day to fulfill all of the requests for the
officials who want to volunteer for this special experience,” said David Kanarek, a Ninth Region official who oversees the assigning of officials for the event.
The association also participates in the “Blow the Whistle on Cancer” campaign.
9th Region – The Northern Kentucky Officials Association (NKOA) has been an active organization within the Northern Ky. community for over 40 years. Since 2008, the NKOA has providing over $25,000 of monetary and service contributions. As one example of the NKOA’s contributions, the organization maintains a “Sunshine Fund” for members who are experiencing medical hardship and distress. Officials donate game checks to this account and the Board votes to assist members in this capacity, which has distributed over $5,000 to date.
The NKOA has also has volunteered to officiate the Special Olympics Flag Football tournament for the past several years, both the regional tournament in Northern Ky. and the state tournament in Lexington. Over 40 officials each year donate their time and efforts to this noble cause. In addition, since 2007 the NKOA has held a golf outing with the net proceeds used to sponsor a Sportsmanship Award that is given to member schools. Voted on by officials, the award goes to a KHSAA member school that has displayed superior sportsmanship on and off the field during the season. Over $6,000 has been donated to member schools that have won the award.
Beginning with its inception in 1967, the NKOA has sent flowers and/or memorials in honor of its fallen members, expending well over $2,000 through this practice. The NKOA has also held several food drives for contributions to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry, where Matt Young, KHSAA and NCAA referee, is minister.
10th and 11th Basketball – For the past two years, several officials have volunteered their services to assist with the Special Olympics basketball tournament at the Stewart Home School in Frankfort.
10th and 11th Region Volleyball – For the last four years, the CKVOA of the 10th and 11th regions has donated $5 per member to Breast Cancer Research each season.
14th Region Basketball – The officials association helps with summer leagues for small kids, and started a flower fund that is used following a death or serious injury to association members or coaches in the area.
15th Region Basketball – The officials association traditionally has given to the American Cancer Society each year due to the impact cancer has had in the lives of many of its members. In 2012, however, the group directed its donation toward Magoffin County and Johnson Central High Schools to provide relief and help offset expenses associated with the state tournament following the tornado that swept through the region on March 2 of that year.
