By Caleb Frey

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – East St. John High School is $500 richer and the recipient of a new inflatable walkaround mascot thanks to the Wal-Mart and Frito-Lay 2005 Fall Football Program.

Frito-Lay District Sales Leader Michael Lindsey and the LaPlace Wal-Mart General Manager Richard Stinson presented East St. John High School Principal Debbie Schum with the check at Wal-Mart recently.

By strategically placing various Frito-Lay items throughout the store, Wal-Mart was able to earn $500 for the East St. John High School Booster Club.

This store was the only one in the region responsible for earning both the mascot suit and the $500,” Lindsey said, referring to the LaPlace Wal-Mart, which secured the suit by having the highest retail sales growth in their store’s region. Schum was surprised to find the mascot suit alone is worth about $2800.

&#8220We needed a new mascot uniform and normally we spend between $800-$1000 for one”, Schum said. &#8220This suit is similar in quality to the one used by the New Orleans Hornets. It stands about nine feet tall, does tricks and has fans in it.”

Schum said the school plans to use the $500 for a giant school flag that the kids can run onto the football field with before games.

&#8220Both are going to add a new level of enthusiasm to our games,” Schum said.