Madison East High booster club parties at Elks Lodge

By Alesia Mayfield, Eastside News

What will 2025 mean for Madison East High School? The comeback and expansion of its booster club. After being dormant for four years due to COVID-19, the East High booster club hosted the Party for Purgolders fundraiser at the Elks Lodge, 711 Jenifer St., April 19.

Get Your East Groove On was the theme to a “fun-tastic” night where over 350 people gathered to dance to the music of VO5, a local ’70s cover band, ate food donated by local restaurants and connected with each other. Attendees included members of the booster club, coaches, teachers, parents, two former booster club presidents, alumni and East High supporters.

Brett Hulsey, Harbor Master of the Madison Elks Club said that the Elks Club likes to do things that support kids and the east side.

Tyrone Cratic, a former Goodman Community Center employee, booster club member and JV baseball coach, was this year’s recipient of the Community Coach Award at The Determination to Succeed Community Mentoring awards banquet. He said that the fundraising should bring awareness so people can help build enrichment programs for sports and clubs.

Matt Filteau, the boys’ volleyball coach, said bringing back the booster club is big because East was the only school in the district who didn’t have an active booster club. The booster club is the primary source of revenue for athletics.

“The reality is that the district pays the bare minimum for athletes; the booster club covers everything else,” Filteau said.

East High had an established booster club until the pandemic. The booster club was reactivated in October 2024 by a small group of parents and teachers. Trish Grant, the spouse of club president Patrick Grant and parent to a freshman on the volleyball team, said that the fundraising event did two things: Let people know that the booster club is back and “getting the word out that boosters are more than supporting sports, but also clubs and student activities.”

“This night means restoring an appropriate amount of money for the students … the old booster club was just for athletics. This new booster club supports expansion,” Marlisa Kopenski Condon, booster treasurer, said.

In addition to the 25 athletic teams, 59 clubs are now included in booster activities. East High School has a 50% enrollment of economically disadvantaged students. An energized and successful booster club means that the boosters can help support kids who can’t afford to participate in sport and clubs. Condon said extra curriculars increase the likelihood of students going to college, teach leadership and foster a sense of community and pride.

The Madison East High School Booster Club wants to continue fundraising and host future events. One in the fall is being planned. Membership to the booster club is open to anyone over 18 years old who has an interest in East High School. Those interested in supporting the club should visit the Purgolder’s booster Facebook page.