Whether it is to buy an emergency water bottle for practice or to snag a quick snack before 3rd Hour, most students have been to Lancers Landing at one point or another.

But, Lancers Landing does ore than just feed student’s appetites for books, spiritwear and snacks.  It is a vital part of Lafayette and it funds things not in the regular school budget.

From all the students that pass through the store, Lancers Landing makes more than enough to sustain itself. In fact, the school store makes about $500-$600 on any given day.

Lancers Landing volunteer Savannah Hessler said, “In the beginning of the year, they were making up to $1,000 a day.”

And, all that profit goes back to Lafayette. At the end of the school year, a portion of the profits go towards funding each class’ senior Celebration.

“At the end of the year, a set amount goes towards each class,” Gallion said.

Any additional profits go toward funding grant requests submitted by Lafayette staff members. Money in the past has gone to improving the incentive area, new library shelving, student leadership programs, new student welcoming kits for Guidance, Foreign Language and P.E., Grade Level School Store awards, Lancer Award Scholarships and the Principal Wishlist.

The Principal Wishlist is a list of things that the Principal would like to see happen, but can’t necessarily do himself.

A gift from a previous year was the marquis sign seen on the corner of Clayton Road and Hwy 109.

“Last year it was a bench. The gift is usually something that Principal [John] Shaughnessy wants, but can’t fit into the budget,” Hessler said. 

Another way Lancers Landing tries to give back is through a donation jar located near the checkout area of the store.

The jar collects money to donate to charities.  The charities the money goes to is decided in April by a committee consisting of the Lancer Parent Organization President (LPO), two general managers of Lancers Landing and three other LPO members.

Last year the donation jar money went to the family of a senior that was seriously injured in an almost fatal accident over spring break.  Two years ago, the donation jar money went to a charity for patients with Multiple Sclerosis.  A student had a grandmother, mother and father all afflicted with the disease, and so the committee chose a charity to help that family.

In previous years, the store has raised as much as $1,000 in the jar, which was matched by the school.

Unfortunately, due to lack of participation on the part of the students, they may not donate at all this year.

Lancers Landing volunteer Lauree Gallion said usually by this time of the year, the jar is pretty full.  This year, however, it is barely an eighth full, amounting to less than $40.

“We’re not going to do it this year.  There isn’t much in there at all.  It would just be embarrassing to donate something that small,” Gallion said.

Of course, there is still hope.

Gallion said, “We might be able to pull it together if we begin to jump through hoops to gain student participation.”

Most students enjoy having the school store around for its convenience, but don’t know much more about it than it carries Skittles and Krunchers potato chips.

Lancers Landing does its best to give back both to Lafayette and the community with the resources given to them.

Freshman Kathleen Newcomer said, “The school store is very valuable to Lafayette.  I think that it’s great that it funds the graduation parties, gives gifts [to Lafayette], and donates to charities, too.”