This Saturday, March 27, at 1:00 P.M., the Jonin Juniors and the Super Saiyan Seniors play it out in the annual PowderBuff volleyball tournament to have fun and raise money for the Salvation Army.

Susan Lainey, science teacher and co-advisor of the Student Council, has taken part in setting up Punxsy High School’s second PowderBuff game. With the COVID-19 pandemic, though, this year’s game will play out much more differently than before.

“[The event] was opened up to the public last year,” Lainey says. “As many spectators who wanted to attend could.” Because of social distancing, the maximum number of spectators – and tickets to be sold in advance – has dropped to 75.

For those who can’t attend the game, the school district will live-stream the PowderBuff game, which will take place in the CDMG, on their YouTube channel.

Lainey says, “Even with our small spectator crowd this year, they always enjoy watching this kind of an event between two different classes. The players have a good time, the cheerleaders always put on a fun show, and the spectators have a great time watching it all.”

While having fun is a crucial part of PowderBuff, another purpose drives the guys to send volleyballs flying over nets: charity.
Last year, the event – through ticket sales and participation fees – raised over $1,400 for the Salvation Army. Previously, the Student Council has tried to donate to the charity via donations from canned food drives, but poor results led to them discontinuing the drives and bringing this volleyball tradition to fruition.

The amount of money that PowderBuff will raise for charity this year might be different from last year, but one thing is certain: whether they’re on the court, in the stands, or watching it from the comfort of their own home, rooting for the Jonin Juniors and the Super Saiyan Seniors, the game will still roll on.