On April 2, the infamous Rockville High School (RHS) mulch sale returned in full swing after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.  

The RHS booster club organized the annual event, in addition to selling, delivering and spreading the mulch to the community. 

Community members can purchase their yearly mulch at RHS, while also supporting the local high school extracurricular activities. 

“My favorite part of the mulch sale was to see the entire community working together to support the Booster Club,”  JV field hockey coach Katherine said. “From student-athletes, students who don’t participate in sports, parents, and grandparents, everyone comes together for a great cause.”

This is the booster club’s biggest fundraiser which provides revenue for all sports and extracurricular activities within RHS. 

With the money benefiting the sports teams, student-athletes are required to work and help run the mulch sale. 

“I think it’s a great idea for student-athletes to work the mulch sale. As Booster Club’s biggest fundraiser, student-athletes benefit from everything the Booster Club does. It’s great to give the support back to such a great group,” Gross said. 

Students can be found doing a variety of jobs, for instance, driving the mulch to be delivered, spreading the mulch, and loading it. This allows RHS students to learn how to work with others in the community. 

“I was in a chase car, and it was fun because we would just listen to music the whole way there and then get to unload the mulch and meet lots of new people,” varsity lacrosse player Adi Elfassi said.

This year RHS sold 11,500 bags of mulch to over 300 families in the Rockville community. This brought in over $10,000 to the booster club; all of which will go back to support a variety of extracurricular activities such as sports teams and clubs. 

Not only does the mulch sale raise money for extracurricular activities but is also a good way to get to know your peers. Many of the teams come together annually to work with one another to fulfill their tasks, providing great team bonding.

“It was very good bonding for my team because we got to spend time doing something that took hard work but could all laugh about it in the end,” Elfassi explained.

Even the coaches enjoy getting to work with their team and see the players interacting with one another. 

“As a coach, it can be a wonderful way to bond as a team,” Gross explained. “In-season coaches did a fantastic job of getting their team there, working together for the day!”

Many student-athletes and coaches were thrilled with the mulch sale being back as it is a fun way to interact with the community. 

“It’s awesome to have the Mulch Sale back.  I’ve been working the mulch sale for 10 years and every year it’s such a fun day,” Gross said. 

COVID 19 prevented the booster club from having a normal mulch sale for 2 years, therefore for many this was their first time being at the mulch sale. Nonetheless, it seemed to be a success anyway and many are already looking forward to next year’s mulch sale. 

“I’m already excited to do it again next year and can’t wait for more mulch!” Elfassi said.