Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

The Brighton and Howell boards of education are supporting charity with their wager on the varsity football game this Friday.

This year marks the 50th time the teams will square off, and Howell Board of Education President Courtney Tarara said this feels like the perfect time to start a new tradition.

The idea of having a wager came about when Howell Board Trustee Jason Bedford suggested it earlier this week to Tarara. She said both boards have come together to work out the specifics.

While the initial plan was to have the winning board decide on a charity and the number of hours for the losing board to volunteer at, Tarara said they collectively decided on one charity.

“We’ve actually landed on coming to a mutual agreement with one charity so we don’t feel like anyone is losing out, depending on which school wins the football game tomorrow,” Tarara said.

The name of the charity and the number of volunteer hours will be announced next week.

Tarara said she hopes this becomes a yearly tradition that will add a new layer to the rivalry while also supporting a good cause.

“I envision this being something where both boards come together and attend the football game together,” she said.

Howell is currently at 7-0 for the season, a record they haven’t had since 1963, according to their website. Brighton has a record of 5-2 for this season.

Coming into the game, Brighton has beat Howell a total of 27 times. The winner of the game is awarded the Little Brown Jug, which is also given to the winner of the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota football game.

The game will kick off at Howell High School’s Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $6, with presale tickets being sold at the gate starting at 5 p.m. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Cash and credit cards will be accepted at the gate. Tickets can also be purchased through the link below.

Brighton Board of Education President Roger Myers said at the meeting that, in his words, "We're game...to stand behind our Bulldogs."

(photo credit: Brighton Area Schools & Howell Public Schools)