The Charleston Booster Club is hosting their annual Grill on the Hill fundraising event at 4 p.m., at the Trojan Hill and Charleston Middle School, Friday.

Grill on the Hill is meant to raise money for the Charleston High School athletics department.

Jodi Hildebrandt, a booster club director, said the club has changed the event so it occurs before kickoff on the day of the first home game.

Hildebrandt said the grill is a time for people to come and have fun and eat before going to the first football game of the season.

“Everyone’s excited about it and getting outside and they’re seeing all their friends,” Hildebrandt said.

The booster club has been planning this event for about a year, Hildebrandt said.

Some of the Charleston High School clubs and sports teams are planning on selling spirit items to help with some of the fundraising.

She said there would be volunteers grilling pork burgers and hot dogs would also sold during the event.

Hildebrandt said Subway donated cookies, Freddy’s Custard donated ice cream and Hawaiian ice would also be available for people to enjoy.

The booster club even set up a food drive-thru service by the middle school for people who were unable to stay for the game.

Hildebrandt said she has been going to the fundraising event since she moved here in 1987.

She said the event would include a dunk tank at the fundraiser where attendees can dunk some of the high school teachers and the principal.

Hildebrandt said the booster club puts on this fundraising event as well as one during the basketball season.

The Trojan Booster Club was founded in 1974 and has been focusing on raising money for athletics for the Charleston school districts.

The event was originally called the Red and Gold Barbecue and has become a tradition for the booster club.

The fundraising event originally was on a Saturday and was a time for people to come, eat food and watch the football team scrimmage.

Mackenzie Freund can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected]