Two Harbors Softball Team Raises Over $1,500 at Super One Fundraiser

More than $1,500 landed in the Two Harbors varsity softball program's account after junior Lainee Anderson and her teammates spent a Saturday bagging groceries and collecting donations at the Super One store in Two Harbors.

The team worked in two three-hour shifts, rotating players through the checkout aisles while shoppers contributed alongside their grocery runs. The generosity extended well beyond the local zip code: some donors had made the drive up from the Twin Cities.

Head Coach John Sandstrom said the fundraiser's value ran deeper than its dollar total. "The older I get, the more I love it, the happier it makes me," he said. He described his players as "well behaved…good students…kind" and credited the Super One staff and shoppers for welcoming the team throughout the day.

Anderson put the team's experience plainly: "The people at Super One were very nice to us and people were very generous."

The $1,500 will go toward uniforms, equipment, and travel costs heading into the spring season. For a North Shore program competing in a regional conference where road trips add up quickly, that kind of single-event return matters. Small schools like Two Harbors depend on shop days, booster programs, and local business relationships to keep athletic programs viable when district budgets fall short of covering everything a competitive season demands.

The turnout signals the community's continued investment in youth sports on the North Shore, even as many towns in the region navigate the budget pressures that come with smaller, aging populations. The program heads into spring competition with its equipment needs addressed and a booster base that showed up when called.