After a state championship win, local boosters are turning to the community to help cover the rising cost of championship rings honoring the teams hard-fought season. TCCHS booster club fundraises for $75,000 championship ringsW ATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:The Thomas County Central High School booster club is asking the community to help fund more than 200 championship rings for student-athletes, coaches, and staff following a state title win.Each ring costs about $280, and the booster club is looking to purchase 240 of them bringing the total cost to somewhere between 70,000 and 75,000.Bill Carson, vice president of the TCCHS booster club, said the rings represent far more than hardware."When one kid sees another kid several years later and they remember the camaraderie they had as a teammate and those life lessons that they learned through football and everything," Carson said.The rings go to players and coaches, and special pendants are also ordered for coaches' wives."I can't tell you how much or how important coach's wives are to our coaches and our staff and to our kids," Carson said.When I asked why the rings carry such a high price tag, Donnie Powell, secretary treasurer of the TCCHS booster club, pointed to their quality and craftsmanship."They're well made. They're very large. I think I've sent you a picture of one that you have that they just have a lot of information on them and it's something that will last a lifetime," Powell said.The booster club, a registered nonprofit, is now asking the community for help through a fundraiser shared on Facebook. Donations can be made online, by mail (PO Box 789, Thomasville, GA 31799), or through Venmo (@tcchsboosters).Championship rings are just one part of what the booster club covers. The organization also helps pay for meals, travel, equipment, and letterman jackets expenses that can total more than $100,000 a year, even in years without a ring order.Raindy Sowell, president of the TCCHS booster club, said the jackets are always a hit with student-athletes."We'll hand the letterman jackets out as soon as they come in. So we'll order them for our summer sports. And it's typically 70 to 80 degrees outside and they'll wear it around. So they're really proud," Sowell said.The fundraiser is set to wrap up by the end of March. Organizers say the banquet where players will receive their rings has not been scheduled yet, but they are hoping to hold it sometime in April or May.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less