‘$50 for Fayette’ event raises money for local nonprofit
One local nonprofit got a couple of thousand dollars richer during the inaugural $50 for Fayette fundraiser.
Ryan鈥檚 Tribute, an organization that provides comfort boxes to families that have lost a child, received $2,550 at the April 28 event, sponsored by Impact Fayette and the Redstone Foundation.
Mark Rafail, Fayette County鈥檚 economic development coordinator, came up with the fundraiser. Each local nonprofit in attendance made a donation of $50, which was pooled. Three of the nonprofits were drawn at random, with representatives from each given the chance to say a few words about what they do. Attendees voted on the three finalists, and the nonprofit receiving the most votes won the money in the pool.
Beth Hanzes, founder of Ryan鈥檚 Tribute, explained that the organization was formed in memory of her son, who was killed in a car accident five years ago.
鈥淲ords cannot describe it. I am just taken aback by the generosity of the whole community and everyone here,鈥� Hanzes said upon being declared the winner of the final vote. 鈥淚t was just awesome. Even if I didn鈥檛 win, I would definitely come back. I got to meet a lot of people, and I feel like a lot of these people are doing amazing things for the community.鈥�
Another finalist at the $50 for Fayette event was Team Humanity, which program coordinator Amanda Henry described as a 鈥測outh community center in Brownsville.鈥� Henry noted the K-12 program is run by Laurel Highlands graduate and former NFL player Will James, whom she said strives to elevate his community through the nonprofit.
鈥淚n his heart, that is what he does,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e is bringing back to his community.鈥�
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Laurel Highlands also was a finalist. Fayette County Mentoring Coordinator Brittany Cooley said the organization serves both Fayette and Westmoreland counties and is a mentoring program for kids ages 6 through 14.
鈥淲e have community-based and school-based programs,鈥� she said, noting that the nonprofit is in the process of partnering with both Laurel Highlands and Uniontown Area school districts. 鈥�(The kids) just get that extra support.鈥�
Fayette Chamber of Commerce Board President Devan White said Impact Fayette members were excited about the new event and hope to make it a quarterly occurrence.
鈥淚 think people had a great time,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was your typical networking event, and it had a strong purpose behind it, which made it that much better.鈥�
White said she hopes now that they鈥檝e experienced it, the nonprofits will return, and even more will join the next one, which is tentatively scheduled for late summer.
鈥淚 would hope that we have more people every time,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 going to make it more fun because the trick is going to be bigger and the networking is going to be better. The more, the merrier in this case.鈥�