Fox Chapel Area students offer array of fundraisers in telethon to benefit Sharpsburg Community Library

Tawnya Panizzi | Thursday, December 10, 2020 12:36 p.m.

Tribune-Review

Fox Chapel Area High School teachers volunteered to let students throw a pie in their face to help to raise funds for the Sharpsburg Community Library during the annual telethon in Dec. 2019.

Fox Chapel Area residents can tune in to watch the district’s 31st annual telethon, beginning at 11 a.m. on Dec. 23.

Students will stream the fundraiser on the Swift Fox Media YouTube Channel, the link for which will be available on the district’s website and its Facebook page.

For the second year in a row, the telethon will raise money for the Sharpsburg Community Library.

Students and staff from each of the district’s six buildings will participate. Some of the many events include:

• Dorseyville Middle School Maker Space has created 20 one-of-a-kind DMS 2020 ornaments for a raffle. For each dollar donated, the student/family will get one entry. To participate, visit Facebook.com/foxchapelarea/.

• The high school library teamed up with local artists Karen Krieger and David Montgomery to create an exclusive wooden fox ornament. The cost is $12, and a portion of the sales will benefit the telethon. To purchase, visit bit.ly/FCASDOrnament.

For more, email librarian Laura Ward at Laura_Ward@fcasd.edu.

• Past district and telethon alumni are asked to submit a video to be shared during the telethon. Videos might include funny memories or stories about past telethons. Share with ryan_devlin@fcasd.edu.

• The district telethon, coordinated by the high school student government and the digital media production students, also hosted two weekends where participants were encouraged to walk a virtual 5K. The cost was $10, with proceeds benefiting the telethon.

• The public is invited to make donations at secure.givelively.org. Organizers have a goal of $15,000 through this website.

The Sharpsburg Community Library is a branch of the Cooper-Siegel Community Library offering computers, DVDs and books on CD; programs for adults, book groups and programs for children including story times, chess club and STEAM lessons.

Jill McConnell, executive director, said the district’s support has been invaluable.

Money from the telethon will pay for storage solutions, wayfinding signs and new furniture for a dedicated teen space at the branch along Main Street.

Last year’s telethon raised $46,521 for the library.

Over the past three decades, district students have donated more than $901,950 to various local and regional charities through the telethon.