A pregame tailgating party was held before Friday’s varsity football game to benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charity organization focused on combating childhood cancer. The event took place 4:45 p.m.-6:45 p.m. in the Essex parking lot.

The yearly tailgate was planned jointly by KHS Student Council and Team Schmolivbarr, a local St. Baldrick’s family volunteer group led by Craig and Lisa Schmitz. The group settled on the idea of a tailgating party after collaborating with Dr. Mike Havener, KHS principal, to plan a charity event benefiting cancer research.

“We put our heads together and thought of what we could do to be successful for high school, and we came up with a tailgate,” Lisa Schmitz said.

The team, founded seven years ago, began on their annual tailgate last year, collecting just over $1,000. Earnings were donated entirely to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The group hopes to gradually increase their success through social media and creating a wider presence in the community.

“We’ve got a better location, and on top of that, social media is really helping, and the community has been very involved. Exposure is key, so we’re just trying to increase awareness,” Schmitz said.