For more than 20 years the Callaway Booster Club has been helping pay for field trips for students, youth sports activities, One Act, snacks for students for district events, food for Homecoming, and many, many other things in the Callaway community. The club works closely with school administrators to help determine needs within the district that they can help with.

“We have helped every organization within the school,” said club president Rhonda Pandorf.

Their biggest fundraising event of the year is the annual Burger Bash, which the Booster Club has been hosting since 2018. “This event is nearly 100 percent profitable for the Booster Club,” said Pandorf. “Nebraska State Bank pays the grocery store bill for us, Callaway Market bills at cost, and Curtis and Marla Stallbaumer and family donate all the beef.”

The board consists of Pandorf, Linsey Johnson-vice president; Roni Boeser-secretary; Erin Reiff-treasurer; and Jenn Hickenbottom-school representative (liaison).

This year’s Burger Bash was held on Jan. 19, and Pandorf said this is either the best or second-best event in terms of funds raised in the six years that she has been president.

She explained that since the club supports students in all activities they try to rotate the Burger Bash each year. For example, one year it will be held during a volleyball game, the next year during a basketball game, and this year the Bash was held during a wrestling tournament for the first time.

“We had negative temperatures and wind chill factors that day, but everybody just works so well together to make this happen,” Pandorf shared. “Mr. Birkel was scrambling the night before. Heath Johnson always brings a big grill for us to cook the burgers on, but he was worried about keeping it going this year because of the low temperatures and the wind. So he, my husband Steve, and Heath Birkel came up with three Blackstones that they put inside Mrs. Chytka’s shop with the garage door open. Everybody just worked to make it happen!”

Pandorf emphasized that the Burger Bash would not be possible without the help the Booster Club gets from the community. Nebraska State Bank, for example, not only helps financially with the event but also allow their employees paid volunteer time. Linda Johnson and Amy Birkel both took advantage of that opportunity to help out by rotating shifts in the concession stand and helping pound out burgers.

Even students got in on the action. “Sixth graders Amelia Pandorf and Lauren Reiff were in the concession stand all day, and I’m talking like 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. They liked helping people,” said Pandorf.

She explained that the format of serving at a wrestling meet was much different than a volleyball or basketball game because this was an all-day event. The club used 150 pounds of hamburger and served nearly 450 burgers on the day, along with 150 hot dogs and six or seven dozen cinnamon rolls which were made by Booster Club members.

“We delivered about 20 meals to the hospital and at least another half dozen meals around town that day as well,” Pandorf added. “We sold out of burgers but didn’t run out till close to 7 p.m. But the wrestlers were ready to eat right after they weighed in, so we started serving burgers about 10:30 a.m.”

Pandorf said this year’s Burger Bash raised nearly $3,200 for the club. She explained that sometimes the club will decide to make a big purchase using those funds, such as an ice cream machine that was donated to the school a couple of years ago. But generally, the funds are used for extracurricular activities for both elementary and high school students.

Each year during the Chamber’s Trunk-or-Treat held in downtown Callaway, the Booster Club serves free hot dogs, chips, and a drink, sponsored by First Tier Bank.

“We have helped every organization within the school,” said Pandorf. “It’s just all for the kids.”