“There is no easy way to cut $15 million,” explains Chris Woods, Yelm Community Schools superintendent. “We’ve had to make cuts across the board. Early this week we announced that we were cutting C team sports – typically freshmen at the high school level and then at the middle school level, it’s typically your third team. Also, transportation to and from away games.”
OlyFed Opens Yelm Community School Account to Raise Money for Students
Woods says that he was deeply appreciative when OlyFed reached out to Yelm Community Schools about helping offset the deficit. “Ryan Betz and Casey Kilborn approached me about a great way to support our students, by creating this account,” shares Woods. “We have tremendous appreciation for OlyFed, being a business in this community and then coming up with this idea saying, ‘We want to have a direct impact on the students in the community and try to fill the gaps that are left by the loss of the levy funds.’ It’s just one example of the way that this community comes together to support our students. And I am not surprised by it, because that is just the way people are in Yelm, but we are very, very appreciative of their generosity.
“It was important for us to start this campaign because we know that great schools equal strong communities,” says Ryan Betz, OlyFed SVP/Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer. “Our overall quality of life and the vibrancy of our economy and neighborhoods depend on it. While we cannot solve all the challenges resulting from the levy failure, we believe it’s important as a local business that we demonstrate our commitment to our local students and invest in their well-being.”
OlyFed opened a Yelm Community Schools account and kicked it off with a $5,000 donation. In addition, their August Two Cent program proceeds are all going to Yelm Community Schools. With the Two Cent program, when customers use their debit card during the month of August, OlyFed will donate two cents for every transaction to the fund. “We estimate at a minimum this will help raise an additional $2,500,” shares Betz.
But they didn’t stop there. Knowing how important it is for kids to have extra-curricular sports and other activities as part of their school experience, OlyFed created the Pride of the Prairie Campaign. “Every time somebody opens a new Journey Checking account at our Yelm branch, we will also donate $25 to the Pride of the Prairie Fund,” explains Betz. “We feel like this part of the promotion is a win-win situation. Folks who are not customers of OlyFed get the opportunity to experience the mutual banking difference where we put relationships above the bottom line, while also helping to make a marked difference in our community at the same time.”
And if you aren’t familiar with it, the Journey Checking account has some pretty awesome benefits. “What’s great about this account is that there is no monthly services fee, it provides a competitive interest rate, comes with a full suite of free digital banking tools and resources and best of all the care and support of a knowledgeable personal banker,” shares Betz.
Yelm Community Schools Using Money Raised by OlyFed to Help Offset Budget Cuts to Activities, Sports
One hundred percent of the funds donated will go to the Yelm Community Schools ASB account. The school will use the funds immediately, to help with the 2024-2025 school year, and possibly even the 2025-26 school year depending on the amount raised.
“As funds come in, we will try and bring back those cuts that were made as quickly as we can,” shares Woods. “There is a sense of urgency to try and fill the gaps for the fall activities and sports.”
During the pandemic, parents of student athletes banded together to get kids to and from games, and Woods believes the strong community will do that again to help with budget cuts. But every dollar helps, especially when it comes to providing students with access to sports, music and performing arts programs.
Donate to Yelm Community Schools Today
Woods explains that anyone – whether they are an OlyFed customer or not – can go into the OlyFed branch and donate to the Yelm Community Schools account.
“Our hope is that other local businesses and individuals will join us in contributing to this fund, so we give our Yelm youth a healthy and safe place to learn, grow, explore their interests and take part in experiences that otherwise would not be available to them,” shares Betz. “We believe every child in Yelm deserves the chance to succeed and reach their full potential and this is another collective opportunity to make it happen.”
Over the years, OlyFed has given thousands to local charities throughout Thurston County. In Yelm alone, they have been a long-standing gold-level sponsor with the Yelm Community Schools business partner program, sponsored events like the Day of Champions and the Yelm Rotary Student of the Month, and donated to Yelm Dollars for Scholars, the Yelm Summer Lunch program and the local Boys & Girls Clubs. “Our employees regularly help with classroom volunteer opportunities and just recently took part in mock interviews at the high school this past spring,” adds Betz.
“Yelm has the community feel and people come together in this community for the common good and that’s pretty special,” finishes Woods.
The next champion athlete or Broadway star might be waiting for their chance to shine in a Yelm School. Help them get that chance by heading to OlyFed’s Yelm branch or any of their other convenient locations, opening a Journey Checking account – I mean, who doesn’t want a checking account with interest?! – and donating to Yelm Community Schools. Together, we can give these kids back their activities and sports.
