The Orion Online

Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Online Exclusives

Nov. 12, 2008

Run, walk or wobble your way through the course - the 9th annual Gobble Wobble is back.

Local high schools have been hit hard by budget cuts and one Chico State class is working to help by putting on the Gobble Wobble.

The student-run fundraiser is being held Nov. 15 in Upper Bidwell Park, said Traci Ciapponi, kinesiology professor. Participants have the options of running a one-mile fun run/walk, a 5k or a 10k.

Participants who register for the fun run or walk are asked to donate three items of non-perishable food, which will be given to the Jesus Center, she said.

The Gobble Wobble is put on by the students as a part of "Administration and Management of Sport and Fitness Programs", Ciapponi said.

In previous years, students have chosen events like Hurricane Katrina relief funds, but this year the class has chosen to sponsor Chico High School and Pleasant Valley High School's athletic programs, she said.

While the goal of raising money remains the same each year, the course changes slightly, depending on the class's preference.

The last few years, the classes has been able to raise about $1,000 each fundraiser, she said. However, with the tightened economic belt, it has been a little different as far as community donations.

The local high schools only received about $100,000 each to run their entire athletic programs.

"Even as the budget gets tighter, they will have to generate more of their own funds," she said. "It was basically cut in half from last year."

The coaches' salaries alone come to $160,000, said Chico High School Athletic Director Danny Webb. He was grateful when he got a call asking if he'd be interested in being sponsored by the Gobble Wobble.

"Any funds are good funds," he said.

Last year, about $140,000 was cut from the athletic programs of each school. This money usually goes to transportation, referees, coaches, equipment and even painting lines on the fields, he said.

This year, the boosters, a group that supports high school athletics, reassured the district that they would be able to raise the money to keep all sports teams. Webb said. And they have been successful,

"Boosters want to boost," he said. "They want to raise funds and see something amazing happen."

Webb is concerned that after working so hard to barely break even, the community may become fatigued. He is unsure of how long the boosters and the community will be able to keep up fundraising like this, he said.

Senior Jamie Bogner, a member of the class, had several reasons for wanting the athletic programs to receive the money that the class could raise, she said.

"We all agreed," she said, "that when we were in high school, we would have all appreciated a little extra money for athletics."

For more information or to register for the race visit, please visit the classes Web site

Kelsey Siebert can be reached at
ksiebert@theorion.com

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