Community Support on Display: Milford Education Backed by $15,000 Gift to Gridiron Club through the BEF!

BEF Advisory Council members and Milford football alumni, Matt Bucher, BEF founder & president, and Milford Board of Education vice president, presented Mr. Jack Simon, president of the Milford 12th Man Gridiron Club, a $15,000 donor-directed gift, on behalf of a family who wishes to remain uncredited and anonymous.

Local Family makes an anonymous donation through the Buccaneer Education Foundation (BEF). 

MILFORD, Del. — A strong show of community support for Milford’s schools and student-athletes was on full display Monday night, as the Buccaneer Educational Foundation (BEF) presented a $15,000 gift to the Milford High School 12th Man Gridiron Club during the Milford School Board’s regular meeting.

Surrounded by BEF Advisory Council members and Milford football alumni, BEF Founder and President Matt Bucher joined foundation leaders in formally presenting the donor-directed contribution to 12th Man Gridiron Club President Jack Simon. The gift was made on behalf of a local family who chose to remain anonymous, underscoring a quiet but meaningful commitment to Milford education and athletics.

The 12th Man Gridiron Club plays a central role in supporting Milford Buccaneers football, sponsoring the Milford Football Hall of Fame, organizing sports banquets, and providing mentorship and recognition for players past and present. Simon, a 2017 Hall of Fame inductee, was joined at the podium by Vice President Mike Tkach, a 2022 inductee, and retired State Representative Harvey Kenton, a 2009 inductee.

In a letter read aloud during the meeting, Bucher described the Gridiron Club as “a key part of Milford’s longstanding community heritage and commitment to our public schools and its student-athletes.”

“Through the Club’s initiatives, including its annual induction to the Milford Football Hall of Fame, the 12th Man Gridiron Club fosters appreciation for those who came before, and highlights role models and encouragement for the young men who take the field in the present and are a part of this community’s future,” Bucher said.

The donation, directed through BEF at the request of the donor family, will support the club’s ongoing mission and programming, reinforcing efforts that extend beyond the football field into mentorship and community-building.

Bucher was joined in the presentation by BEF Vice President Norman “Jay” Jones, along with members of the foundation’s board and advisory council. Together, they emphasized the importance of partnerships between community organizations and local schools.

The moment also highlighted the broader role BEF continues to play in connecting community generosity with targeted educational and extracurricular initiatives across the Milford School District.

“I encourage our shared group of communities who care about Milford’s sports heritage, its student-athletes, and our future as a district to support our family of great local organizations like the 12th Man Gridiron Club and thank its volunteers who make it possible,” Bucher said.

The presentation served as a reminder that, in Milford, community pride in education and athletics remains deeply intertwined — and strongly supported.

Staff Writer

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