DeKalb Barb Boosters announced its end but with new temporary board in place, efforts underway to save it

Less than a month after the DeKalb Barb Boosters announced its end, dozens turned out for a pair of recent meetings to show interest in the fundraising arm of DeKalb School District 428 athletics.

The informational meetings, both held at DeKalb High School, were intended to help the district recruit community members to join the group’s executive board.

Peter Goff, the district’s athletic director, said the district’s outreach to the community is working.

“We’ve had a tremendous amount of people just ask them if they would volunteer,” Goff said. “We had a lot of people [say] that they would. So, things are moving in the right direction.”

Goff, who serves as a liaison to the DeKalb Barb Boosters, began efforts to save the organization in the days after the DeKalb Barb Boosters announced its dissolution.

“I’ve been doing this 31 years,” Goff said. “I’ve been a booster club member when my kids were going through [school]. I’ve been a coach my whole life. I’ve been an administrator. It just flows.”

But Goff wanted it to be clear that this is not a knock against the previous executive board and its recruiting efforts.

“Everyone is busy, and it’s hard to get there,” Goff said. “I just think that that’s the way it goes. Now that they’re made aware and stuff like that, I think all that stuff is the rearview mirror. The board that was there for the last two or three years did a wonderful job. Like I said before, they didn’t even have kids in the district. They were doing it because they didn’t want to see it falter.”

During the two informational sessions, community members filled out a Google form to indicate which committees and positions on the executive board they’d like to serve in. A temporary executive board for the new fundraising group was also formed.

The DeKalb Barb Boosters executive board typically consists of four board members, all of whom aim to serve out a one-year term. Its membership includes a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.

All four members of the group’s executive board resigned at the end of the 2024-25 school year.

Also during the informational meetings, prospective new members reviewed what happened to the previous executive board, how the fundraising group is going to move forward, and what the executive board and committees look like.

Not everyone who expressed interest in joining the DeKalb Barb Boosters executive board can serve.

Goff said there will need to be an election of new leadership before anyone is seated to serve.

He said the outpouring of community support has been tremendous to see.

Goff said it’s clear that the district has a lot of positive energy building around its athletics programs and fundraising efforts.

“I think school spirit has always been here,” he said. “I mean, how many schools can say that they’re the only Barb? There’s only one. So, that has always been here. It’s always been fantastic. They’ve always backed everything.”

When asked how the executive board might work with the district to ensure it doesn’t dissolve prematurely again, Goff said it won’t be an issue.

“I would hope that it’s not going to come to that again,” Goff said. “I will assure you that it will not come. I have two years left until I retire. I think, like I’ve stated before, I think the last two meetings have been very, very promising. I think the people are excited.”