Just as ancient alchemists tried to turn lead into gold, Oxford’s Turf Committee is hoping to transform gold into synthetic blue turf.
Fund-raising efforts to install a new synthetic turf athletic field at Oxford High School are officially beginning with a two-week event called the ‘Wildcat Gold Rush.?
The plan is to have The Golden Partnership ? a Sterling Heights-based company that specializes in performing gold events for non-profit organizations and schools ? come in for two weeks at various schools, collect people’s unwanted or broken gold jewelry and turn it into cash for the turf committee.
Collection will take place in the school’s cafeteria from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. beginning Monday, April 26 at Leonard Elementary and rotate to different schools throughout the district.
They will be at Lakeville Elementary on Tuesday, April 27; Clear Lake Elementary on Wednesday, April 28; Oxford Elementary and Daniel Axford on Thursday April 29; Oxford Middle School on Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4; Oxford High School Wednesday, May 5 and Thursday, May 6.
The event will culminate at the gazebo in Centennial Park in downtown Oxford on Saturday, May 8 during Turf Day.
According to John Sykes, founder of The Golden Partnership, people who bring in their gold jewelry will be paid a fair market value in cash after determining the content and weight of the gold.
‘We have methods and our staff is trained to identify what the content of the gold is, and based on the content and weight determines the amount of money that will be paid,? Sykes said.
To ensure the authenticity of the jewelry, Sykes has participants sign a waiver stating that the jewelry was not stolen. He also takes participants fingerprints and license.
Once the gold jewelry is purchased, Sykes will send it to a refinery, which gives him a meltdown price. Once they receive that money, Sykes will donate 50 percent of the profit his company makes to the Wildcat Turf Committee.
‘I think that this is an outstanding fund-raiser because every fund-raiser that we do in this town is asking people for money, and this is a fund-raiser that is giving people money,? said Turf Committee Member Dan D’Alessandro. ‘Were not asking them to donate their gold. We’re asking them to bring their unwanted gold to the schools, and in exchange for that they will get cash.?
‘The whole idea behind Golden Partnerships is that we are going to partner with schools and non-profit organizations, and when we do a gold buying event, we come in and pay each one of the participants cash for their jewelry, and 50 percent of the proceeds go to the school or nonprofit organization,? Sykes said.
Sykes was approached by D’Alessandro to help them raise money for the synthetic turf. ‘They are really trying to create momentum and buzz and look at ways of raising revenue nontraditionally,? Sykes said. ‘Now, more than anytime, schools are faced with some unprecedented challenges and being able to do a fund-raiser that does not require a whole lot on work and money is unique.?
This type of fund-raising effort Sykes calls a passive fund-raiser, where the company comes in and does all the promoting, marketing and shows up and puts the event on at the school.
Oxford is not the first district Sykes has worked a gold fund-raiser with. He previously held one with the Troy School District when they were raising money for a high school athletic field.
For more information, visit www.thegoldenpartnership.org and click on in the news section and follow the link to the Oxford Wildcat Gold Rush, or call John Sykes at (586) 770-7769.