Main Line Students Raise Thousands for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 13, 2008 – For the children visiting and staying at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), simple everyday activities like running and jumping and playing ball are often replaced with stressful and difficult therapies.

The young men of Devon Preparatory School’s Christian Action Program (CAP) wanted to help alleviate some of that stress by sponsoring “Up for a Cause” where they hoped to raise $25,000 for these children. Instead they raised over $33,000 breaking all of their previous records. More than 165 Upper School students participated in this event, a 12-hour night of fun and games in Devon Prep’s gym.

Throughout the night the students took part in a variety of activities including basketball tournaments, relay races, tug of war, dodge ball and board games. No Ipods, laptops, CD players or electronic devices of any kind were permitted.  And neither was sleeping! There was donated food and drinks and the music was provided by a Devon Prep student band and an alumni band. Prizes, including Eagles tickets, Flyers tickets, autographed footballs, hats, jump drives, gift certificates and more were given away throughout the night.  Special guests included representatives from Children’s Hospital and the St. Joseph’s University Hawk.

“This year we hoped to break the $25,000 mark for CHOP,” said Devon Prep Senior and CAP President Garrison Weaver. “And we raised much more than that. Children's Hospital does a great service to our community and deserves all the help we can give them.”

For the past eight years CAP has sponsored similar events raising more than a $125,000 for other charities. This is the first year that CHOP will benefit from of the fundraiser. The proceeds will be donated to the hospital’s Creative Art Therapy Department, which recognizes that illness and hospitalization are stressful events in the lives of children and their families. By using age appropriate education, preparation and supportive activities, Life Specialists strive to minimize that stress and help children and their families cope.

Devon Prep is the first area high school to hold such a fundraiser for CHOP. The hospital was so pleased with this event that Devon Prep’s “Up for a Cause” will serve as a model for other schools interested in fundraising for CHOP.

“They have been great to work with,” said Maureen Mason, Director for Cause Marketing and Community-Based Fundraising for the Children’s Hospital Foundation.  “Now we’re trying to build a school program like this one for other schools throughout the region.”