Our goal is that no student should be denied the enjoyment of high school athletics due to financial constraints.
The Redlands Benchwarmers is a 501C (3), nonprofit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1952 to support Boys and Girls Athletic programs at the high school level within the Redlands Unified School District. We also help athletes that would otherwise be unable to participate in sports due to monetary hardships. Our goal is that no student should be denied the enjoyment of high school athletics due to financial constraints. In the last 2 years we have raised and distributed over $85,000.00 to Redlands Senior, Redlands East Valley, Citrus Valley, Orangewood and Grove High Schools.
Monies go to items such as academic assistance, uniforms, equipment, rehab of the Baseball infields, lockers for the Swim Team, transportation & tickets for students of the Winter Special Olympics, mats for the Spirit Club and tournament entry fees for Basketball & Wrestling teams. The cut backs in personnel and funds in all the school districts within the State of California, make an organization like ours necessary in these times.
We feel we not only help our school district and community but, also Student Athletes that learn the lessons of team work, sacrifice, success and failures and apply those lessons when they enter college. Since our inception, we have donated in excess of $1 million towards these goals. We are an all volunteer organization with 100% of the net proceeds going to the support of the student athletes.
RHS football coaches Buck Weaver, Oral Baker, Walt Anderson and Bob Campbell met in the living room of Oral Baker’s home at 1121 E. Central Avenue in Redlands to formally organize and name the group. The first officers were, Kenneth Lewis-President, Joe Ciano-VP, Marshall Phelps-Secretary, Willard Farquhar-Treasure, and Ralph (Buck) Weaver as Program Chairman.
A photo from 1957. From left to right: Frank Serrano, Walt Anderson, Ralph (Buck) Waver, Bob Baker.
RHS in 1952 had a total student population of 867 students. Of those students there were an estimated 318 student athletes in all sports. Today, 60 years later, the total student count at RHS is 2,525. This number does not include Redlands East Valley High School, Citrus Valley High School, Orangewood High School or Grove High School. Today the Redlands Unified School District has five (5) high schools with 7,598 total students and 3,178 student athletes. There have been 2,860 student athletes added to the RUSD since Benchwarmers inception.
In addition to the growth in the Redlands school district, there were also many changes to the landscape of the RUSD funding sources. Some of the biggest that effected athletics were California State Law Proposition 13 which reduced the state funding of all education in California. The other was Title 9 which leveled the playing field for all students, boys and girls, who participate in athletics. During this time Redlands Benchwarmers changed as well to take on the new challenges while maintaining their original mission.
This change was a must for the current and past Board of Directors in order to meet its obligation to purse its stated goals. Thanks to the continuing community support and the leadership of its all volunteer Board of Directors, Redlands Benchwarmers has continued to meet and surpass those goals to the betterment of the Redlands community.
Today, one of the prime directives of Redlands Benchwarmers is the raising of funds in order to help fill the gap between budget cuts and the needs caused by the growth in the number of RUSD’s high school student athletes.
Born in 1956 and raised in AZ. Moved to CA in 1984 and Redlands in 2004. Real Estate broker at Patr...
Learn MoreMick and Sandy Gallagher are native to Redlands and are the owners of the local business Finishing T...
Learn MoreJim Eastwood, born and raised in Redlands and attended Redlands Schools. US Army Veteran. Viet Nam W...
Learn MoreService & Parts Director at Ross Nissan Class of 1979 Redlands High School Studied at Crafton Hill...
Learn MoreJames is a Redlands native and RHS class of '69 Graduate. He ran track and played "B" football. The...
Learn More