Not all Hail Mary passes happen on the gridiron.

Boothbay Region High School's boosters club managed one over Milky Ways and Twix bars in the school library September 13. Volunteers saved the sports fund-raising group, which was in jeopardy this year due to dwindled numbers and mostly empty officers' slots.

Without leadership, it would be difficult for the volunteer group to keep going, the lone remaining officer Treasurer Pat Schmid said.

“I'm wondering if boosters is going to live past tonight, or the end of football season,” she said at the meeting's outset.

Principal Dan Welch has seen boosters clubs die at other schools. They can come back, but “it takes a while,” he said.

The absence of boosters would not cause any sports to be dropped; but the school would miss the club's contributions that enhance athletes' experiences, Welch and Athletic Director Allan Crocker said.

The meeting's turnout of about 20 people was encouraging. That was more than anyone could recall showing up in years.

Participants determined they should be able to spread the workload around for activities like manning the concessions at games. But for nearly an hour no one came forward to serve as officers who would call meetings, assign tasks and help make decisions.

Lisa Clarke nailed the problem: People were already giving the club what time they could, around their work and family lives.

“Maybe it's a sign of the times,” she said. “Maybe we aren't going to be able to do everything we'd like to do...We're kind of maxed out. That's my reality. I think it's everybody's reality.”

Past Vice President Laura Bosio and her husband, past President Rich Bosio, figured they had put in 20 hours or more a week. But someone else wouldn't have to do as much as they chose to do, Laura Bosio said. The key is having parents' support, which also contributes to school spirit for the students, she said.

Talk turned to tapping the community for alumni or anyone else, maybe a retiree with time on their hands, to help run the club.

As smaller conversations broke out around the room, not everyone caught the game changer. Edgecomb parent Angel Ripley said she would take president. Word spread and as people looked Ripley's way, two fellow parents seated near her, Tracy Smith and Sarah Gudroe, agreed to serve as vice president and secretary, respectively.

Ripley said later that she had decided ahead of time, she would offer to serve if no one else came forward.

By the end of the meeting, business got back to something the boosters enjoyed talking about. They agreed to buy glow sticks and funny glasses from Big Al's to resell and raise money.

The boosters planned to meet again at the school library October 3 at 7 p.m. Anyone with or without ties to the school is welcome.