Kids, top groups and long-time donors to be honored at National Philanthropy Day Awards

“I never intended this to be an award-winning thing,” says Bishop Canevin High School baseball coach and social studies teacher Dale Checketts, whose “Going Beyond the Diamond” program is one winner of the National Philanthropy Day Awards, to be held on Nov. 17. “I just wanted to create an opportunity for the kids to give back to the community. To receive recognition like this is kind of humbling.”

The team’s efforts began several years ago, Checketts says, when the family of one team member suffered a house fire that required one family member to stay at a local Ronald McDonald House. At first, the Canevin team collected books and household items to stock the house, then a pickup truck full of soda pop can tabs to raise recycling funds. Then a team parent suggested the team visit the house in person.

“We had a school bus and we almost didn’t have enough room in the bus for the stuff and the team,” Checketts recalls. The baseball team made lunch for the kids and played video games with them, and even rustled up a cake and candles to make an impromptu birthday party for one resident who said he regretted missing his birthday party that very day. “Just seeing the reaction of his mom – she was in tears of joy,” he says. “It was just a very touching day.”

The other honorees, presented their awards by the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Western Pennsylvania Chapter, are Emily Brittain Elementary School, for their “HOP for Leukemia & Lymphoma” program; Jack Mascaro, receiving a Special Lifetime Achievement Award; Daniel Wukich, for creating an internship program at Quest Healthcare Development, Inc.; BNY Mellon, for their “Powering Potential” program helping the foster-care system; Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc., for their HOPE (Helping Our Partners Exceed) Philanthropy Committee aiding those with disabilities; James Hamilton, board member of the Forbes Health Foundation, for three decades of work with the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh; Massey Charitable Trust, named Outstanding Foundation; and William P. Getty, receiving the Special Innovation Award for launching The Power of 32 regional initiative.

For Checketts, at Bishop Canevin, philanthropy “is not just something we do one time and we’re done.” The team has also raised $2,000 for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Fallen Heroes Fund. “For our seniors,” he concludes, “I know it is something they hope to be able to continue to do once they go to college.”

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·To buy tickets to the National Philanthropy day celebration click here.

Writer: Marty Levine

Source: Dale Checketts