Football season is right around the corner! The Mountain Lakes HERD will kick off the 2021 season on Friday, September 10th, with an away game at Caldwell High School. As of now, we are hopeful that the upcoming season will be a return to “normal” in the wake of all the obstacles we faced over the last 18 months due to the pandemic. It has been a long, challenging road for all of us, and we look forward to getting back at it and experiencing a more traditional Mountain Lakes football experience with you. Again, we want to thank all our supporters for helping us get through these challenging times and reminding us why we do what we do.
As you may already be aware, last year, the HERD Alumni Foundation successfully launched its most ambitious project to date, the Buffalo Club. The Buffalo Club is a membership-focused fundraising initiative based on our website that will allow us to collect recurring donations to support various projects within the HERD universe. What makes the Buffalo Club unique and exciting is that members get rewarded for their willingness to contribute. There are currently four levels of support (and rewards) to choose from, ranging from Level 1: “Hustle” at $10/month to Level 4: “Desire & Dedication” at $60/month. Every membership tier gets you a reward, from HERD swag to free tickets for the annual fall pig roast. We are always developing new rewards, too. In fact, perks like exclusive access to vintage game videos and other content, such as live game broadcasts, are currently in the works. So, if you haven’t joined us yet, please consider becoming a Buffalo Club member this season. Memberships start at just $10/month. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime. Go to herdalumni.org/buffalo-club today to get started.
Alongside the launch of the Buffalo Club, we have also completely overhauled the HERD Alumni Foundation website, giving it a complete redesign and adding a ton of new HERD-related content that you will ONLY find at www.herdalumni.org, including:
- Photo albums of past golf outings, pig roasts, homecoming games, team photos, and more
- Full listing of team and player records by season, game, and career
- HERD All-Decade Team
- HERD classes by year, including roster, team photos, and key statistics [In progress]
There are several exciting initiatives on the horizon that will continue to lend to the storied tradition of the HERD. By homecoming weekend, our goal is to have a buffalo statue in place on the “path” as a permanent memorial for Coach Wilkins that every Herdsman will pass before stepping onto Wilkins Field. We are planning a ceremonial unveiling and dedication of the memorial during homecoming weekend—more details to follow.
In addition to the Wilkins memorial, the HERD will be getting a much-needed locker room renovation! The HERD Alumni Foundation is launching an initiative to raise funds through Buffalo Club memberships for customized locker room chairs and video viewing technology to support the renovation process. The total fundraising goal is $13,000. The HERD Alumni Foundation will be purchasing 100 customized chairs at the cost of $10,900 and a large portable television screen at $1,930. While keeping the hard-nosed, gritty spirit that is HERD football remains a priority, anyone who has been in the locker room recently will attest that it is in dire need of long-overdue upgrades.
As we embark on another football season, we ask for your support in raising the funds needed to help update the new HERD locker room. In addition, please keep an eye out for new rewards for Buffalo Club memberships, such as exclusive HERD windbreakers and the opportunity to purchase original lockers. We will be reaching out to supporters personally with these great opportunities!
We thank you for your support as we strive to continue the winning tradition of Mountain Lakes Football!
1-0,
The HERD Alumni Foundation
