This article was originally published in The Examiner on Nov. 3, 2016.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
The Lumberton “Mighty Raider” Band booster club announced last week that funds had been stolen.
“The Lumberton High School Mighty Raider Band Booster Inc. recently became aware that all of its funds are missing from the organization’s accounts,” Lumberton Band Booster President Randy Eason posted on Facebook on Sunday, Oct. 23.
The board reported the theft to the Lumberton Police Department and appointed an interim treasurer in an emergency meeting Oct. 20.
“We are devastated to have to share this news with the boosters,” Eason wrote in his post. “We do not want to hamper this investigation by going into any further detail at this time.”
He also indicated that that police were talking to a person of interest in regards to the theft.
“We fully anticipate an arrest, but we have not yet arrested anyone,” said Lumberton Police Chief Danny Sullins. “I don’t have an exact amount [missing]; we’re doing a forensic audit.”
“We had a very strong band booster club,” Sullins said. He estimates 411 children are in the band.
“We’re just really proud that our kids have weathered this and are working hard to replenish these funds and pay off those debts,” said Gretchen Scoggins, Lumberton ISD coordinator of special pro- grams and communications.
The Mighty Raiders held several fundraising events at local restaurants like Novrozsky’s and Schlotzsky’s, as well as a GoFundMe drive.
“This weekend they had a big fundraiser at the Village Creek Festival, kids selling discount cards,” Scoggins said. She added that the Kountze band and other local school bands have come forward to assist.
Sullins and Scoggins both said they could not estimate how much was stolen until the forensic audit is complete, but that further details would be released once an arrest was made.
“The estimates are all over the place, but we don’t have an exact number,” Scoggins said.
Eleanor Skelton 