The Hollis-Brookline Athletic Booster Club (HBABC) will be hosting their biggest event of the year, the Ski Swap, from Nov. 22-26 at Nashua High School South. The event, which normally brings in upwards of $20,000, will raise money for the athletic teams at HB.

The HBABC is a non-profit organization that fundraises for Hollis Brookline athletic programs. The group is comprised of parent volunteers, and sports teams are encouraged to have one parent representative attend the meetings. Tom Whalen, the president of the HBABC said that the organization “encourages school spirit and raises money​ ​for non-budgetary enhancements to our athletics programs at HBHS.”

In years past, the Ski Swap has been run by the Nashua Exchange Club, but in 2016, Dave Belanger of Hollis, a former Nashua Exchange Club member, worked to get the fundraiser to benefit the HBABC. “In 2015, we [the Nashua Exchange Club] were down to about 10 members and I was still one of the younger ones. The Ski Swap is a big event, and we did not have the manpower. The Exchange Club decided to disband, and I looked for another organization with many people who were willing to volunteer and could use the money.”

The first day of the Ski Swap is Wednesday the 22, where anyone who wishes to sell or donate old or used skis, snowboards and equipment can register their items. If they sell, the owners can come pick up the profits on Sunday. Any items that don’t sell are picked up on Sunday as well; if there is anything left behind, it is considered a donation to the HBABC. On Friday and Saturday, people can come to the swap to purchase items.

In addition to the used and donated items, a North Conway vendor, Ski Liquidators, will have a booth with brand new equipment for sale.

Students from all HB athletic teams are encouraged to volunteer at the event. Hands are needed to label and register equipment, ring up customers and load vehicles. Maren Anderson ‘20, a member of the volleyball team, said that, although she didn’t participate last year, she will this year “because it is centered around helping sports teams.”

To sign up to volunteer at the event, a SignUpGenius can be found on the Booster Club’s website.

The Ski Swap is a long-standing tradition that “allows the HBABC to donate in a much greater way to the athletics programs at HBHS,” said Whalen.