With the dwindling number of sports officials, high school sports athletic directors have been forced to move Friday football games to Thursdays and even Saturdays, creating a mad scramble with schedules and getting proper coverage.

The numbers issue is not just gorge-area based, however, as communities in the Blue Mountain and Portland areas are suffering from a lack of adults willing to officiate youth contests.

Mid-Columbia Football Officials president Bob McFadden is calling on men and women from across the gorge to be contributing to the community and get involved in interscholastic sports.

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