Dear Editor,

This is intended as a letter to the Community of Escalon.

In a normal school year, the Escalon Boys’ Basketball program would be in the last month of its season and hopefully gearing up for a successful finish in the Trans-Valley League. When the Coronavirus pandemic took its hold on our society during the summer of 2020, our 2020-2021 season was pushed back to February 2021 in the hopes that the COVID situation would improve enough for us to be able to safely have a season. Given the current situation, that possibility is currently very much in question. In the meantime, we had to plan for a potential upcoming season like we normally would. This meant an attempt to fundraise to cover some of the recurring costs associated with running a high school athletic program.

We reached out to most of the local businesses in an attempt to secure season sponsorships. We have had several local businesses take part in this sponsorship program for a few years now and we are greatly appreciative of their continued support. We’d like to highlight all of the businesses that signed up to be a season sponsor for the 2020-2021 season, even though our season was not certain to take place to go along with the financial insecurity that the pandemic has put on many small businesses.

The Escalon Boys’ Basketball Program would like to sincerely thank American Chevrolet, Bartelink Dairy, California Correctional Supervisors Organization, CT Brayton & Sons, Dairy Veterinary Services, D’Boni’s Pizza, Eckert Cold Storage, Escalon Family Dental, Escalon Feed & Supply, Hula’s, H2 Heating & Air, Kraft Heinz-Escalon, Main St. Garage, Mid-Valley Ag, Napa Auto Parts, Oak Valley Community Bank, Opti Physical Therapy Institute, Pacific Southwest Irrigation, Roberts Auto Sales and 1st Class Shutters. We are very appreciative of each of these businesses that chose to make a financial contribution to our basketball program that goes a long way in enhancing the overall experience for the student-athletes in our program.

We would like to encourage everyone in our great community of Escalon to support the local businesses listed above; not only now during these difficult times where they greatly need our support, but also when things get back to normal.

Thank you and take care.

Coach Nate Bartelink

and the Escalon High School

Boys’ Basketball Program