Spectators at MFL MarMac home high school soccer matches and track meets have likely noticed a new addition to the concession stand. The roughly $50,000 project, which has been funded by the MFL MarMac Athletic Booster Club, will provide insulated storage and allow more space for food prep, in addition to covered seating.

Becky Roe said a concession stand upgrade has been a Booster Club priority since before she joined in 2019.

“There had been quite a bit of money that people have put aside and said that’s what some of that money was supposed to be used for,” she said.

The group held off, not knowing if a new fieldhouse—including a new concession stand—would come to fruition.

Now, with a new crow’s nest/press box at the football field and track, they felt it was time to proceed.

“We felt we should be able to improve what we have, too,” Roe said.

According to Roe, the addition will allow the Booster Club to store pop, popcorn seed and oil and other goods without risk of freezing. There isn’t room in the school building, she said, and it’s important Booster Club supplies are kept separate from those for the junior class, which runs most inside concessions as a fundraiser.

The addition will also free up space in the existing building.

“For football, we like to do walking tacos. If we have more area, we’d like to get a countertop where people can have more room for food prep. It can get a little congested in here,” Roe explained.

Pizza cooking will likely move to the new space, as well as popcorn, candy and other main foods.

“Then it open this up in here,” she said. “We’re also talking about putting windows in, so people could come to this window or that one. However, it will take more people to help man.”

A covered area will give spectators a space to sit and eat other than the bleachers.

“We’d like to get some picnic tables,” Roe said, “and it sounds like the school can put a TV monitor out there so people can sit and watch the games.”

Overall, noted Roe, “I feel like attendees will benefit. While our main purpose is to provide uniforms and all of that stuff for our athletes, we feel our spectators would enjoy this addition, too.”

The addition was completed by local businesses, including Wes Heying as the main contractor, B&R Construction for concrete and Pat’s Electric for the electrical work.

“These businesses are all very good sponsors of the Booster Club,” Roe said.

Spectators who buy concessions will support Booster Club efforts. The group not only pays for athletes’ uniforms, but $7,000 annually for the sports technology software Hudl and various projects. This year, they will cover half of a new $15,000 volleyball system.

“We help out with the bigger stuff if we can,” Roe said. “Until you get involved, you just don’t realize all of the stuff that gets done.”

For its efforts, the MFL MarMac Athletic Booster Club requests parents work at least one concession slot per sport their child is involved in. With SignUpGenius, it’s become easier to create schedules for each event.

“We have links for every sport separate—one for track, one for soccer, for all our home meets—and that’s on the school website under ‘Useful Links.’ People can easily sign up,” Roe said. “What’s good about that is, let’s say you sign up for a game a month away, it’ll email you and remind you. For some reason, if something came up and you can’t do it, you can go in and change it.”

Roe appreciates the support and is happy to see the concession stand upgrade come to fruition.

“It’s exciting. I’m happy to be part of it,” she said.