Copperas Cove Booster Clubs partner with local businesses for concession stand offerings;

By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press

During each high school football game at the Bulldawg Stadium this fall season, patrons have the option to enjoy nachos, sausage wraps, French fries, burgers and more delicious food while supporting worthy causes. 
On the northern end of the stadium’s home side, the Copperas Cove Quarterback Club operates its concession stand, selling hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage on a stick, corn dogs and more. 
Proceeds from the Concessions Stand benefit the Quarterback Club which supports the Copperas Cove Independent School District’s Athletics, including the Varsity, Junior Varsity and Junior High football teams as well as Track and Field, Powerlifting and Wrestling, according to club president Eric Hall. 
This year, the Quarterback Club will also be selling pulled pork and brisket on Friday nights during the home Varsity games. 
The pulled pork and brisket will be cooked and prepared by Robert McDowell, of Big Dog BBQ, ahead of the games. During the Home games, the Quarterback Club will also sell hamburgers, corn dogs and tater tots. During the junior high games, they will serve hamburgers, hot dogs and sausage on a stick with tater tots. 
The Quarterback Club’s concession stand will be open during the CCHS Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshmen football games as well as the junior high football games.
Hall joined the Quarterback Club because his son is a freshman player this year. He was a member of the club previously before running for president. 
When his eldest daughter was in band and a member of the color guard, Hall helped the Band Booster Club and served as the Concessions Stand Manager for two years, he said. 
His other daughter was a Copperette for four years, and Hall helped out there as well. 
“My philosophy is when your kids do something, you always get involved to try to help out,” Hall said. “We just do what we can, and that’s how I feel a parent should be is you should support your child in any way to help them succeed so that’s my philosophy. Our [philosophy] on the Quarterback Club is we want these parents to know that we’re here to raise money for the kids. 
“The more people we can get involved in to come in and help on concession stands those nights, we can keep the flow of people going. The more people that we get to come in to help, the better we are sales will be which brings in more money to get out to help with the athletics with those all the sports that we’ve been helping.”
Hall said the Copperas Cove Quarterback Club is looking for a Concession Stand Manager and an Assistant Concession Stand Manager as well as volunteers for the Concession Stand. People do not need to have a student athlete in order to help out, Hall said. 
For more information, people can find the Copperas Cove Quarterback Club group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/138029736229359. 
On the other end of the stadium, on the southern end of the home side, the Pride of Cove Band Booster Club is selling nachos as well as Frito pie, chili, sausage wraps, burgers and more. Every Friday, they also serve French fries. 
Vice President Heather Moris and Concessions Manager Paloma Nielsen said that the Pride of Cove Booster Club concession stand is open during the home games for high school and junior high football as well as special events, like the upcoming Spirit Spectacular. 
This year, the Pride of Cove Band Booster Club has partnered with Waffle Cone to sell double-stacked ice cream sandwiches for $5 apiece.
“We have a lot of community support which we’re always grateful for, so it’s really fun for us to partner with the business and do that together, so that is really nice,” Moris said. “John reached out to us from Waffle Cone, and those are selling amazingly.”
Noris and Nielsen said that the concessions stand is completely volunteer run. Without the other booster club volunteers and supporters helping out, Nielsen said they wouldn’t be able to run the stand. 
“It definitely takes a family- it’s a family effort,” Moris said. “We’re the Pride of Cove, our family members are the Pride Tribe, so we call them our Tribe members, and everything happens with the support of our great parents and guardians and tribe members.”
As a non-profit organization, the Pride of Cove Band Booster Club raises funds to provide support to the band students. The organization gives scholarships each year to graduating seniors and to students in Drum Major camp and different band camps. They also provide scholarships for private lessons for both high school as well as junior high band students. 
Last year, they awarded nearly $10,000 in scholarships. The club also raised enough money to purchase a $9,000, 28-foot trailer to haul the props that the band uses for its shows. 
“Over the past few years, the Booster Club had to pay to rent U-Haul trailers in support of the band, and last year we were able to raise enough money that we were able to purchase a trailer, so we don’t have to rent anymore,” Moris said. “It’s a beautiful brand-new trailer where all our props can go so we’re really, really proud of that as well.”
The club also covers the cost of the bus transportation when the Pride of Cove band goes to Disney World for competition every four years. 
This year, the club purchased more than $1,000 worth of supplies and building materials for 2021-2022 marching season’s show, which is bee-themed. 
The club is also on hand to cover any other surprise costs associated with the band.
“The goal is to provide an environment where every band kid has the opportunity to do things,” Moris said. 
Moris explained that the booster club worked hard to make the annual Band Banquet affordable- tickets for band students were just $10 last year. 
“Everything we do is for our band and guard kids,” Moris said. “It’s just a treat to go out and to work hard and know that we’re doing that in support of them.” 
For more information on the Pride of Cove Band Booster Club, people can visit http://www.pocboosters.org/