'Carnage on the Courts' set

Class competitions and friendly rivalries will take center stage next week as Mountain Home High School presents "Carnage on the Courts."

Scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. March 22 in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium at the high school, the "battles" will help secure bragging rights for the wizards of the hardwood or the masters of the mat.

Doors open to the public at 6 p.m. with tickets available at the door. Volunteers are currently looking at serving refreshments and beverages as the carnage is unleashed in the gym.

People may drop off donations for the bake sale starting at 6 p.m. that day in front of the gymnasium.

Proceeds from the event's sales will benefit the high school's senior celebration committee. Continuing a tradition hosted by the parents of each graduating class since 1984, the event offers what organizers call an alcohol-free, drug-free, safe, sane and fun all-night chaperoned party the night of graduation.

Prior to the celebration event, graduating classes in Mountain Home had at least one student die in alcohol- or drug-related accidents just hours after receiving their diplomas, said senior celebration president Kim Wortham. The senior celebration represents a "gift" presented by the parents of each graduating class to ensure their teens enjoy the all-night event in a safe environment.

Using feedback from surveys submitted by graduating seniors in recent weeks, organizers plan to hold this year's celebration at Wahooz Family Fun Zone in Meridian.

Carnage on the Courts is one in a series of fundraising events hosted by the all-volunteer committee. Parents of Mountain Home High School's graduating class continue to organize other fundraisers to cover the costs associated with the senior celebration event.

Typically, the parents of each graduating class need to raise about $20,000 to offset the costs associated with the scheduled activities.

Their next fundraiser runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 17, as they hold a "jam berry" sale in the school cafeteria. Students will sell a variety of decorative fingernail coverings during the event.

Fund raising efforts continue April 16 during a community yard sale at Albertsons in Mountain Home. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day in the supermarket parking lot.

The spirit of friendly competition returns to Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium as the senior celebration team presents a community dodgeball tournament. Action begins at 6 p.m. April 27.

Organizers emphasized that the double elimination tournament is open to teams across the Mountain Home community as well as Mountain Home Air Force Base. A dessert auction is also planned that evening.

Senior celebration organizers continue to invite parents and others in the community to join their planning committee. The group meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of each month at the high school.

For more information, call Wortham at 870-4967 or David Maxwell at 856-506-7384.