Forest Park receives all-star game donation

MARQUETTE — The Forest Park Trojans were one of several football programs in the Upper Peninsula to receive donations from the U.P. Football All-Star Game.
Forest Park, along with Calumet, Cedarville, Gladstone, Hancock, Iron Mountain, Ishpeming, Kingsford, Marquette, Munising, North Central and Pickford received $1,000 each. The money can be used for anything that benefits the football program, all-star game organizer Todd Goldbeck said.
“When this game was started, it was always a goal that we would eventually be able to donate directly to all of the high school football programs throughout the U.P,” Goldbeck said in a press release. “Next year, we will finally achieve that goal, and that is due to the tremendous support that the U.P. communities have given this event over the years.”
 Forest Park head coach Dave Graff expressed appreciation for the donation.
 “Todd Golbeck has long been a real supporter and proponent of football here in the U.P,” Graff said. “This is another token of his generosity.”
 The schools receiving donations are picked at random each year.  Once a school has been selected, that school will be removed from the lottery until all other schools have been chosen once. Every U.P. football program will get an equal donation from the all-star game, in the amount of one thousand dollars. Once all schools have received the donation, the process will start over again.
 West Iron County received its donation in 2007.
“The lottery is a fun way to select the schools,” Goldbeck said.  “Every program is eligible, and it does not matter how successful the team is; everyone has a chance and gets a turn. It is very important that all U.P. programs are supported, so that each school can maintain a competitive team. That is what the U.P. Football All-Star Game is all about. Because All-Star Week could not take place this year, we were able to donate to many more schools. I hope that the donations will help their football programs in a positive way for what is sure to be a difficult upcoming year.”
 Each team may choose to use the money in any number of ways. 
Equipment, weight room and uniforms are just a few places that the school may decide will be the most effective use of the funds, Goldbeck said.
 Note: The 2020 fall football season has been postponed until the spring of 2021 because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.