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Goal reached, MASCO director dons skirt
BOARDMAN
As the director of the Meshel MASCO workshop walked through the Marwood Circle complex Thursday, his appearance elicited whistles, shouts and laughter.
George Gabriel donned a long skirt throughout the day, making good on his promise to workshop clients for reaching their goal in pennies collected for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Meshel workshop is overseen by the Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities and is a day program for adults with developmental disabilities.
“I don’t know why it came out, but I said I would wear a skirt if they raised $500. I thought I was safe,” Gabriel said with a chuckle.
Workshop specialist Karla Patton brought up the St. Jude’s fundraiser several years ago when she heard a local radio station promoting the “quest for a million pennies for St. Jude’s.”
“It’s St. Jude’s, so how could you not help?” Patton said. “Our clients get so excited to bring in the pennies.”
As of January, the workshop clients, their families and staff had collected about $250, about average for the year’s penny collection, Gabriel said.
But by the time the workshop turned over its pennies March 22, the total reached $600.
“Developmental Disability Month was March, and this tied into that. This is part of what we do. We help the community and collect donations for gift drives in December, food baskets in November and pennies for St. Jude’s. Last year, we gave away about $2,000 to individuals and groups in need,” Gabriel said.
He added that clients’ family members have been very supportive. One parent, Lora Colla, gathered Gabriel’s outfit, including a shirt with a sequined “G” on it — “for Gorgeous George,” Gabriel joked.
The workshop already has started its St. Jude’s penny collection that will end March 2013. This time, the goal is even higher: $1,000.