Raising Spirits, Wearing Skirts

    In the town of Bath, S.C., the local football team may not have won too many games this past season, but they did win the popular vote at the local teen club, Razin Kaine. Owner, operator and resident DJ Dave Byars opened the establishment last April, and since then has been giving kids from ages 13 to 20 a safe and alcohol-free place to hang out and listen to music at night. After hearing four of the high school football players bragging about their upcoming Friday night game, Byars hit upon an idea. He told them that if they won Friday night’s game, he would provide food and drinks gratis for the whole hungry team on the following Saturday, but a loss would make it an even more interesting night with the guys forced to show up at the club in dresses.

    “That Saturday night I went to Goodwill,” Byars says. He bought the unfortunate players dresses and affixed each kid’s jersey number to the back of each one. “There were 150 people at the club that night, all waiting to see these football players in these dresses,” Byars says. Before the game, he advertised by passing out flyers at the school and hanging large banners from the club. Charging $7 a head at the door, the night proved to be a success despite the team’s personal loss.