ROBERTSDALE — It will be all-hands-on-deck on Thursday, Aug. 22 when the Robertsdale Bears Booster Club kicks off the 2019 football season with a community pep rally beginning at 6 p.m. at Honeybee Park.
For the first time in over a decade, the Bears Booster Club has been reformed, holding its first big event July 11, a meet-and-greet with first-year Head Coach Kyle Stanford and his staff at Waters Backyard.
“I just want to take the opportunity to thank the community for their support of me and my family moving here,” Stanford said, adding that about 130 boosters attended the sit-down dinner fundraising event.
A native of Mississippi and a 2007 graduate of the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Stanford spent the last 12 years coaching at high schools in his native state, including Center High School in Olive Branch (2007-2011); Northwest Rankin High School in Flowood (2011-2013); Desoto Central High School in Southaven (2013-2016) and Olive Branch High School (2016-2018) before accepting the position as head coach/athletic director at RHS in May.
A meeting was held Thursday, Aug. 8 to recruit new members for the Booster Club, Stanford said.

“I want to commend the Booster Club and the Central Baldwin Athletic Trust for the hard work they have done so far in helping us prepare for this season,” Stanford said.
The Robertsdale City Council voted at its meeting Monday, Aug. 5 to allow the Booster Club to use Honeybee Park for the Aug. 22 event, which will begin at 6 p.m. and end around 7:30, Stanford said.
“We want to include everyone in the Central Baldwin communities,” Stanford said, “including players and cheerleaders from Loxley and Robertsdale (youth leagues), and Central Baldwin Middle School, as well as the high school. My hashtag in everything I’ve posted so far has been #StrengthInUnity and that begins and ends with the community.”
Members of the Robertsdale High School and Central Baldwin Middle School Golden Bear Marching Band will also be there to show their support.
Hotdogs and drinks will also be available for sale during the event with proceeds to benefit the Booster Club.
The 6A Golden Bears will kick off the 2019 campaign against the 7A Mary G. Montgomery Vikings on Friday night, Aug. 23 at J.D. Sellars Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
In other business Aug. 5, the council:
•Authorized the purchase of football equipment for the Robertsdale Youth Football League at a cost of $2,500.
•Approved a request by Julianna Beck to place childhood cancer awareness ribbons at Honeybee Park in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, and to allow their annual run, along with the use of the city’s digital billboard to promote the run.
•Changed the date of its first meeting in September to Tuesday, Sept. 3 because city offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 2 for Labor Day. The council also voted to change the start time of its workshop from 5 p.m. to 4:30 to allow additional time to discuss the budget.
•Approved a request to surplus a truck from the Public Works Department.
•Adopted a resolution regarding the vacation of a drainage easement in Grove Parc Subdivision.