GRAFTON —  They may not exactly be models, but the Midview High School football players and cheerleaders gave it their best shot, and it’s all for a good cause.

After the November failure of the school levies, the Midview School District increased the fees for its pay-to-play policy, and it stopped publishing a school calendar.

The Midview Touchdown Club, a nonprofit organization, was concerned that not enough players could be on the team due to the increase in pay-to-participate fees.

According Midview Touchdown Club member and football-player parent Lisa Gott, out of concern that participation could drop or some players could not afford the increase in fees, the Midview Touchdown Club pledged $10,000 this year to help cover high school players’ fees, which have risen to $550 per player.

“This is above and beyond all of the annual support that they have been providing and will continue to provide to the football team,” Gott said. “Through their efforts and player fundraising activities, the pay-to-participate fee was successfully brought down from $550 to $350 per player this year.”

Midview High School athletic director Bob Maver said it is unfortunate that the school district is forced to charge students to participate in extra-curricular activities, but said he understands that the alternative is to not offer any activities for the students.

“All of our coaches, along with the Midview athletic boosters, have taken the bull by the horns and have raised money in various individual sports to help defray the $550 cost for the first sport at MHS,” Maver said. “It is because of the efforts of our coaches, kids, parents and boosters, that we can continue to run a first-rate athletic program, even in the face of these adverse conditions.”

Yet, for parents like Gott, she is still paying $700 of her own money for her two sons to participate in football this year.

That’s when it was decided more needed to be done to defray the costs and also keep parents informed of important school events. Thus, the idea of a Midview High School football and cheerleading calendar was born.

Gott has a talent for photography, and once Midview High School football coach Bill Albright and his wife, Lisa Albright, learned of Gott’s skill, the concept of a calendar featuring the players and cheerleaders was developed.

Bill Albright approached Gott with the idea of determining whether a calendar could be profitable. He also asked her to donate her time to take the pictures and lay it out.

Gott quickly agreed.

“I was eager to take the lead on the potential fundraising project,” Gott said. “I volunteered to donate the photography services and design work, so Coach Albright could focus on his team, the game and the season.”

The freshmen, junior varsity and varsity football players as well as the high school cheerleaders were just as eager to help out.

“The kids had fun with it on picture day. They all did a really good job and this is something that is different and it’s a unique way to feature the kids,” Albright said. “I hope to make this a yearly fundraiser.”

The 2010-2011 calendar, which was printed at a reasonable cost from an out-of-state vendor, will include key dates such as PTA meetings, school holidays, end of grading periods, and, of course, the 2010-2011 football schedule.

“I did what I could with it because the school is no longer providing a calendar to the community,” Gott said.

The calendar will be sold for $12 at home football games and online at www.midviewk12.org under “Middie Gear.”

But, if parents and residents want to get a copy hot off the press and meet the models behind the photo shoots, the Midview Touchdown Club is hosting a signing and dining event noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 19-20 at Bootleggers Grille on state Route 82.

According to Gott, Bootlegger manager Brandon Wheeler has agreed to give back a generous portion of the proceeds of the sale of the calendars during both days (and not limited to the event time) for anyone who brings in a voucher for the event. Vouchers are available through players, coaches, the Athletic Department at (440) 748-5231 or by contacting Gott at lisagott@glwb.net. Vouchers will also be at the restaurant. Patrons are asked to give the vouchers to their servers.

Wheeler also agreed to sign several copies of the calendar, and whoever randomly purchases a signed copy during the event will receive a gift card for Bootleggers.

Proceeds raised from the sale of the calendar will help support pay-to-participate fees for next year.

“Our Midview Touchdown Club and Lisa Gott in particular have done an outstanding job of producing a football calendar which was a fun activity for the kids, along with helping to defer the extra-curricular costs to our football players,” Maver said.

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