Each February-March, Vestavia Hills elementary students participate in Pitch In for Education, a kid-driven fund-raiser for the Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation. Students fill up their Pitch In cups and their classroom buckets with loose change, currency and their parents’ checks in support of the Foundation. Local orthodontist and Vestavia parent Dr. Mark Yanosky sponsors Pitch In. Before we tell you how much was in the Pitch In cups this year, let’s introduce you to who was on them.
Q. How many years have you sponsored the Foundation’s Pitch In campaign?
A. I’m actually not sure but I believe this was our third year. We hope to have many more!
Q. Why did you want to sponsor Pitch In?
A. Every kid loves loose change and hearing it shake around in the Pitch-In containers. I believe the campaign is a great way to get our kids involved with the Foundation at an early age. Many people incorrectly assume that our tax dollars are all that’s needed to provide the great education we receive in Vestavia Hills. When you’ve been involved with the Foundation as long as I have, you see the reality and the necessary role of the Foundation in preserving the quality of the education our kids receive.
Q. Your practice also makes contributions regularly to the Foundation. Can you tell us more about that?
A. One of our practice core values is to support our community. A few years ago we started our “My Smile, My Community, My Child’s Future” initiative which is driven towards making regular contributions to school foundations that support our practice. This, along with sponsorships such as the Pitch-In campaign, are our way of saying “thank you” to the community that supports us so nicely.
Q. Your three children attend Vestavia Hills schools. What did they say when they saw your name on their Pitch In cups?
A. John Michael, my 9-year-old son said “Are we famous?”;)
What was in those Pitch In Cups this year?
· Grand total raised in 2015: $37,995.11
· Leading school: Vestavia Hills Elementary East with $13,803.04
· Total Change: $11,057.11
· Total Currency: $3,388.00
· Total Checks: $18,150.00
· Paypal and matching contributions: $5,400
· Brand New Pledges: $4,000
Thank you students, parents, teachers and administrators for another successful Pitch In campaign. Proceeds were added directly to the Foundation’s endowment where the money will earn interest and become future grants for our schools. Special thanks also to Bruster’s Real Ice Cream for providing an ice cream party for the winning classroom at each Vestavia elementary school.
