As the holiday season approaches, Tri-Cities Prep is proving once again that its impact reaches far beyond scoreboards and state trophies. This year, the Jaguars’ baseball and boys basketball programs have teamed up for a special blanket fundraiser designed not to support their athletic needs, but to support families in need across the greater Tri-Cities region.
Head baseball coach Jason Jarrett calls it “the ultimate state championship” — not won on a field, but in the form of compassion and service to the community. After three straight state championships and his fourth overall with the 2B baseball team, Jarrett said his heart shifted last spring toward teaching something deeper: stewardship, empathy, and community responsibility.
“I wanted to do a special project that reflects who we are as men,” Jarrett said. “We get supported everywhere we go… now it became heavy on my heart to ask, what can we give back?”
That idea sparked a conversation with boys basketball coach Isaac Nelson, who had also been exploring ways for his players to serve during the Thanksgiving season. One conversation became one mission, and soon the two programs launched a Jag blanket fundraiser, with 100% of proceeds going directly toward buying Christmas gifts, winter clothing, and essential items for families who otherwise couldn’t afford them.
Building Character Through Service
Jarrett and Nelson both emphasize that this project is not just charity — it’s education.
“We want our guys to see that they can make a difference in their community,” he said. “The joy that comes from helping someone in need is really valuable.”
Players were told the fundraiser wouldn’t buy uniforms or equipment — and still, Nelson said, “they bought right into it… they were excited to help other people.”
Nelson says purchasing a blanket or donating does two things:
“First, it helps families who truly need it. But it also helps our guys learn what community outreach really feels like.”
For Jarrett, it’s even simpler:
“It’s better to give than to receive. And what better time of year to do that?”
How the Fundraiser Works
The Jag blankets are available HERE. Those who don’t want a blanket can donate directly — and many already have. Once sales wrap up, the teams will:
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Adopt multiple families in the Eltopia / Basin City area, identified through St. Paul’s Catholic Church.
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Purchase Christmas gifts, winter clothes, and essential items for children and parents.
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Potentially support a youth music program in Basin City, helping local kids gain access to instruments.
“We want them to see those expressions on the families’ faces,” Jarrett said. “That impact lasts forever.”
The fundraiser closes November 30.
Watch the full interview HERE.