Fundraiser Organizers Present Check to Casey's Clubhouse

Organizers of the charity basketball game that took place last month to raise money to build a Miracle Field in Upper St. Clair presented a $7,000 check to Casey's Clubhouse Tuesday morning.

Former MLB star Sean Casey and his wife, Mandi, graciously accepted the donation at .

"I'm from Upper St. Clair and the support I've gotten from the school district, the township, the teachers, it's just amazing," Sean Casey said. "It really means a lot that people care."

"It's overwhelming. It's so generous for them to think about Casey's Clubhouse and the community," Mandi Casey said. "Everyone is so busy so to take the time to think of the kids to be using this field really means a lot."

The $7,000 was raised during a basketball game between the Fort Couch and teachers in April. Students in attendance also got to buy pies to throw in their teachers' faces, which was a fan favorite. .

"We were guessing about 200 kids would go to the game, but we had 600," said Brad Wilson, the main organizer of the event and a seventh grade social studies teacher at Fort Couch Middle School. "People were very surprised with the amount of turnout and support we got. The kids pie-ing their teachers made a big difference and the kids really liked the charity. It being a local charity hit home with the kids."

Steve Grubbs, an intern at Fort Couch Middle school, and Justin Gremba, a learning support teacher at Boyce Middle School, also helped to organize the event. 

Gremba is in charge of the Boyce Middle School student council and said the fundraiser was a great learning opportunity for the kids.

"The amount of planning is a lesson student council learned," Gremba said. "The three kids of the committee spent hours making signs and announcements."

"People told us our goal to raise $5,000 was outlandish," Wilson said. "And we raised $7,000. We had people from the community who showed up just to donate money to the cause."

As Wilson's assistant principal at Upper St. Clair High School, and now his boss at Fort Couch Middle School, principal Joseph DeMar said he is proud of the work Wilson and the rest of the staff did to create the successful fundraiser. He's also impressed with his students' enthusiasm.

"I think it shows that the kids are compassionate to students with special needs and wanted to be part of a fun and positive charity," DeMar said.

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"We're so excited. Just yesterday we went to the site to get a tour and see where home plate is going to be," Mandi Casey said.

Casey's Clubhouse started fundraising in the fall, and didn't expect to begin construction this soon.

"It's much quicker than we expected. It's a tribute to everyone involved in the project," Mandi Casey said.

"My wife and I have been talking about this for years and to see all this happening and all these people step up is touching," Sean Casey said.

Construction is expected to take 10-14 weeks. Casey's Clubhouse hopes to have the Miracle Leagues of the South Hills up and running in spring 2012.

Click here for the Casey's Clubhouse website to find out how you can donate or volunteer. Click here for Casey's Clubhouse's Facebook page.

Other Casey's Clubhouse stories on Upper St. Clair Patch:
 
 
Basketball and Pies Raise $6,000 for Casey's Clubhouse