A new fundraising initiative started during the 2016 football season has brought in more than $13,000 for Oxford’s senior programming.

Early in 2016, the Oxford Park Commission charged Leisure Lifestyles of Oxford director Deb Helms to find ways to raise money so that LLO could be self-sustaining without having to charge its members for participating in projects.

OPC and LLO decided to try charging people to park on several of its properties during Ole Miss home football games. They charged $20 a car at the Oxford Activity Center, Stone Park and the City Pool.

Overall, the parking brought in $18,000; however, $5,000 was put toward expenses, leaving LLO with $13K to put into their budget.

OPC Director Seth Gaines said the parking was a “true group effort” by everyone at OPC, where employees gave up their Saturdays to help raise funds for Leisure Lifestyles, and commended OPC bookkeeper Chrystal Love for her efforts in organizing the parking fundraiser.

Love said there are times when people would drive up not to park, but to donate when they heard where the money was going.

LLO offers classes to adults 40 and up that are aimed at keeping the mind, body and spirit active.

Gaines said any overtime earned by staff helping with the parking on Sundays was taken from the OPC budget and not out of the funds raised for LLO.

Helms said there are currently 680 people registered in LLO and in 2016, with more than 21,000 visits last year to the Oxford Activity Center to take part in any of LLO’s programs.