The Tommy Bohanon Foundation continues to change the lives of Southwest Florida youth by awarding $30,000 to five local high schools’ athletic programs through the Tommy Bohanon Foundation Sports Equipment Grant. This year the funds will be dispersed between North Fort Myers High School, South Fort Myers High School, Dunbar High School, Riverdale High School and Mariner High School.
The Sports Equipment Grant allows the Tommy Bohanon Foundation to continue to fulfill its mission of supporting young athletes on and off of the field. It is awarded to local athletic programs in need of additional funding to help athletes reach their full potential on the field.
With these funds, programs are able to purchase any necessary equipment, upgrade facilities and provide athletes with new sports gear. Not only do these funds alleviate the financial restraints of the schools, they also help to relieve the financial burden that sports can have on athletes and their families.
“I remember the days of having to duct tape my cleats together and hoping they’d last me through practice or a game,” said former NFL player Tommy Bohanon, founder of the Tommy Bohanon Foundation. “We are constantly working to make sure every kid in our community has access to safe and effective sports gear and equipment, which is what inspired us to create the Sports Equipment Grant. We are proud to award these five schools with the funding they need for kids to get out and onto the field.”
In previous years, schools have used the Sports Equipment grant to purchase new jerseys, cleats, sports equipment and more for their teams. Last year, North Fort Myers High School received $15,000 from the grant, which was used to renovate the Ron Hoover Field House.
The foundation launched its first Sports Equipment Grant in 2018, but the tradition of giving had been in Tommy and Katie Bohanon’s hearts for many years. When Bohanon was an active player in the NFL, he would often donate gently used and brand new cleats to football players at North Fort Myers High School.
The Tommy Bohanon Foundation works to ensure that every student can achieve their goals on and off of the field. To learn more about the organization’s mission, please visit www.tommybohanonfoundation.org.
