Local Organizations Support Youth Activities

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — 22 local organizations were presented with checks this afternoon to help fund youth activities.

The Varsity Foundation’s mission is to encourage, foster, and help fun youth activities. In conjunction with the Muskingum County Community Foundation, they dispersed over $11,000 to organizations to help provide local youth with opportunities to participate in both academic and athletic programs. The funds were raised from the first annual “Sports Bash” that was held in February.

“Today we were able to present some checks to area youth organizations. In total, about 22 different organizations splitting up around $11,000 in proceeds from our event. I was the beneficiary of youth activities growing up. So we want to make sure that the kids of Muskingum County have those same opportunities,” said Rob Sharrer, Founder of “The Varsity Foundation.”

Among the recipients of the funds were several travel baseball leagues, who will use the money for tournament entry fees, equipment and uniforms upgrades. Both Tri-Valley and Zanesville football benefited, as well as the Police Athletic League who take in at-risk youth and teach them the sport of boxing.

The Sports Bash was a raffle-themed event. Tickets were $50 which provided free food, discounted drinks, and live boxing presented by the Police Athletic League. Every five minutes, an autographed piece of sports memorabilia was auctioned off leading up to the grand prize in which the winner had the opportunity to choose between several sports packages, including an Ohio State bowl game, and a trip to The Masters, among others.

This was the first year for the Sports Bash and Founder Rob Sharrer hopes with a full-year of planning, they can increase attendance and increase funds for next year’s event.

“We had about 400-600 people there for the first year. So we’re looking at next year hopefully doubling that and having between 800-1,2000 people there, and of course with that comes doubling up on the funds that we’re able to give away,” added Sharrer.

The date for next year’s Sports Bash has yet to be determined.