JUNE 7, 2019, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A11
AWARDS,
continued from Page A14
Hawley
Jackson
Chic meet
U nique
Every love story is different. That's why you'll find
eternity and anniversary bands for
every couple at Boucher.
DON'T
FORGET
DIAMONDS
B OUCHER
503-393-0701
4965 River Road N
JEWELERS
Monday – Friday 9 to 6
Saturday 9 to 5
“The experience that Jacob
has had at the varsity level for
the last three years has really
helped our program and really
helped our team,” Keeker said.
“This example he sets for the
underclassmen and the team-
mates around him was really
good for us. He knew that he
was able to compete at a high
level and he exudes confi dence
that rubs off on his teammates.”
Why winning the award
was especially meaningful to
Jackson was that his mother,
Korrine Jackson (Wellin), won
the Harold Hauk Award back
in 1993, making them the fi rst
generational award winners in
SSBC history.
“That was really cool for me,
just because it’s my mom, and
I have always strived to be as
good as her,” Jackson said about
his mother, who played volley-
ball, basketball and softball at
McNary.
Although Hawley and Jack-
son received multiple offers to
play at the next level, they both
elected not to play sports in col-
lege.
Hawley will be attending
the honors college at Oregon
State University, while Jackson
is doing a dual credit program at
Oregon State and Linn-Benton
Community College.
“I’m really grateful for the
offers that I got, but I was get-
ting a little burnt out,” Hawley
said. “I’ve been playing those
two sports for my entire life
and I just thought that this was
a good stopping point for me. I
got what I needed out of them.
I gained friendships. I grew as a
person and a leader.”
What was more important,
however, then the success be-
tween the lines, was that both
Hawley and Jackson set an ex-
ample for all McNary students.
“I was extremely proud
to see the Salem Sports and
Breakfast Club Committee
choose to honor and celebrate
student-athletes that excel in
multiple sports, activities and
academics,” McNary athletic
dirctor Scott Gragg said. “Both
Abbie and Jacob represent ev-
erything we hold in high regard
at McNary.”
Booster club raises more
than $40,000 at auction
KEIZERTIMES/Lyndon Zaitz
Attendees scan items at the McNary Athletic Booster Club Auction on Saturday, June 1.
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
The McNary Athletics Booster Club held
their eighth annual auction fundraiser and din-
ner on Saturday, June 1 at Log House Gardens
at Willow Lake, raising more than $40,000.
All proceeds from this event go to support
the athletic programs at McNary High School
— including club sports like bowling and la-
crosse.
“It was a great night,” said booster club pres-
ident Joe Egli. “It was a beautiful day and we
had tons of people come out in support of Mc-
Nary athletics.”
The auction featured popular items, like
Trager barbeques, but also had sports mem-
orabilia, tickets for the Portland Timbers and
Oregon State athletics, cornhole boards, bark
dust and many others.
While the auction is the booster club’s big
fundraiser of the year, they have also been able
to raise more than $70,000 over the course of
the 2018-2019 school year with a number of
different fundraisers.
The booster club runs the concessions
stands at all McNary homes games and also
sells sponsorships to local businesses who want
to hang banners at the football and baseball
fi elds, as well as in the gym.
About $15,000 raised every year goes to
support kids at McNary that want to play a
sport, but do not have the fi nancial means — it
costs students $175 per school sport.
“We just want to make sure that every kid
that wants to play sports will be able to,” Egli
said. “We do whatever the kids need.”
As for the rest of the money, the booster
club spends it on whatever is needed for the
McNary athletic program.
Whether that is shoes, new wrestling mats,
gym fl oor painting or new equipment, Egli
and his 11 board members are willing to step
up to the plate to provide.
The booster club’s biggest contribution took
place in 2015 when they raised over $400,000
for the artifi cial turf project at McNary. They
also raised nearly $100,000 for the new Mc-
Nary scoreboard, which was installed in 2018.
“They are progressive and fast moving and
wanting to get things done,” McNary athletic
Scott Gragg said of the booster club.“They are
closely tied with our community so they know
what the heartbeat and the interests are of our
community.”
While the booster club is almost exclusively
used for athletics, they also put on a holiday
bazaar in November that benefi ts not only the
athletic program, but also the McNary JROTC
program, as well as after school clubs.
McNary athletics has been a big part of the
Keizer community for many years now, and
Egli wants to do all that he can to keep the
success and the tradition alive and well.
“Both my kids went to McNary and while
they were there, the sports programs were do-
ing well, so I just wanted to help those pro-
grams continue to grow and succeed,” Egli said.
Additional photos from this event are avail-
able to view on the Keizertimes Facebook page.