River View wins bus decorating contest
Ridgewood High School’s Syntax Error performed as part of the bus fair competition on Oct. 2 at the Coshocton County Fair. Josie Sellers | Beacon
COSHOCTON – With the help of Yellow Bus Sales in Newcomerstown, the Coshocton County Fairboard was able to try a new idea to help promote area schools.
The company donated four buses to the fairboard, which then invited Coshocton, Newcomerstown, Ridgewood, and River View high schools to have students decorate them for fundraising efforts.
“Newcomerstown opted not to do it, but the other three did,” said Tom Roahrig, who organized the event along with Mary Knicely. “They had to bring them here (to the fair), but they also could take them to home games or use them anyway they could to raise money.”
The uniquely decorated buses were on display throughout the fair near the ag hall. Fairgoers were encouraged to vote for their favorite with a monetary donation. All money raised goes toward the performing arts department of each school.
On Wednesday, Oct. 2 the buses were driven onto the track in front of the grandstand. Each school was invited to have students perform and a final push was made for donations. Ridgewood was the only school that that was able to send a group to perform.
“The community supported the school and we wanted to give back and say thank you for your support,” said Haley Evans, choral director at Ridgewood. “These kids love singing too.”
After Ridgewood’s Syntax Error group sang, the results of the bus contest were announced. Coshocton’s bus raised $225; Ridgewood’s brought in $974; and River View won with $1,653 collected. The vendors on the midway donated an extra $500 to the winner. They had collected $200 more than what they needed and that money was donated to Ridgewood.
“Since they brought a choir to sing we decided to donate it to them,” Roahrig said. “The fairboard didn’t get anything out of this and we are ok with that. This was about promoting the youth of Coshocton and hopefully getting them to be part of the fair. We are proud of this idea. You can offer people so much and then it’s up to them if they don’t take the opportunity.”
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