North Penn PAL Nears April 27 Fundraiser Spectacular

With 23 days to go, more activity suggestions and entertaiment ideas for an April 27 fundraiser kept stacking up among the volunteers and board members of North Penn Police Activities League Wednesday afternoon inside the meeting room at Towamencin Township Hall.

The ideas and offers kept coming for the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. event at Penndale Middle School: A local rock band of North Penn students expressed interest in playing the event, a business offered to donate a canopy for the food area, and so on.

While the charity is admirable, the event simply has no more room for even more activities.

The fundraiser will benefit 13-year-old leukemia fighter Matthew Knoebel, of Lansdale. It also takes place, naturally, at Knoebel's current school.

The highlights of the fundraiser are three cops versus youth basketball games. The youth are simply students who signed up for the events.

The other highlight: Old Navy Fashion Shows. The shows will feature Old Navy clothing, worn by boy and girl North Penn students.

The Montgomeryville Airport Square Shopping Center retailer has thrown its support behind Knoebel already: It held a fundraiser in its store for Knoebel, featuring local businesses, nonprofits and educational organizations.

Some more developments for the fundraiser came to light Wednesday.

DJ Johnny K is being considered to DJ the event, according to volunteer Liz McNaney. She said she never heard of him, but he was recommended to her by a friend at Hair Daze in North Wales. DJ Johnny K has a rapport with North Penn Fire Company's social hall, she said.

"A teacher at Pennbrook who owns a DJ business said he would try to help us, and help Matthew, but he wasn't able to," she said.

Pennbrook Middle School English teacher Scott McGowan is the owner of Solid Ground DJs. He also emcees and DJs events.

McNaney said the Nor-Gwyn Pool Commission will be donating a family membership to the event's raffles.

There was question as to if Towamencin Township Pool would do the same thing. The pool is currently managed by the North Penn YMCA; while the YMCA is not donating membership to the pool, it is donating membership to the YMCA, according to Greg O'Brien.

With a plan for a 50/50, raffle baskets, a silent auction and a Chinese auction, there was some concern about the number of tables needed for the fundraiser.

Originally, the plan was limited to just the gymnasium. Now, the event will use the gym and the cafeteria.

"With all the donations, with the amount of tables we need, I don't know if the cafeteria can be used for that," said board member Reeves Miller. 

Food will be limited to the cafeteria, with the school cafeteria tables serving as the seats. There are expected to be about 20 tables in the gym for the various entertainment, raffles, auctions and nonprofits. There will be facepainting and a table where Knoebel's family will sell wristbands and the like.

Volunteer and Towamencin Township booking technician Kelly Palermo said Be the Match will be at the event to add to its bone marrow registry.

Food is set to arrive by 10 a.m. on the day of the event, so tables need to be set up early.

By the way, food and refreshments are just as important as entertainment with the April 27 fundraiser. There's no sense in expecting hundreds and leaving them starving.

"That's why people leave events—because they are hungry and there's nothing there to eat," said executive board secretary and Towamencin Police specialist CJ Yoder.

There was also special consideration given Wednesday to a date for the organization of raffle and auction donations.

Businesses wishing to donate to the event must drop-off donations to Towamencin Township Police by Friday, April 19.

The PAL group set Sunday, April 21—one week prior—as the date to organize the donations.

Centennial Blueprint will be donating flyers, window ads and 8-by-10 descriptive cards for the auction items.

Volunteers are welcomed to help the PAL team sort everything for the event on Sunday, April 21 at 9 a.m. at Towamencin Township Hall. Volunteers are also welcomed to help set up for the event at 8:30 a.m. on April 27.

"We need manpower for (the auctions)," said O'Brien.

Here is a sampling of some auction items:

• A Preston & Steve Show studio tour
• A one-hour sit-in with Jon Marks and Sean Brace on 97.5 FM.
• Two Phillies Hall of Fame Club tickets
• Signed Dave “The Hammer” Schultz pucks
• A Danny Watkins-signed Eagles helmet
• A one-year YMCA membership

Centennial Blueprint is also donating specially-labled water bottles for the event. O'Brien plans to approach Giuseppe's Pizza or Pizza Time Saloon for a donation of a keg of root beer.

Almost all of the group recommended approaching Corropolese Bakery in Lansdale for donations.

"Corropolese is very giving," said volunteer and Montgomery Township Officer Rob Johnson.

"And they have good food too," said North Penn PAL Executive Board member and police liaison Towamencin Township Officer Pat Horne. 

There was mention of approaching ShopRite in Hatfield, Wawa and Zeigler's for donations.

"I think we'll get people to donate," said a confident O'Brien.

McNaney said that, in her capacity as a volunteer with the Nor-Gwyn Baseball snack stand, she has spoken to the Coca-Cola deliveryman about the company's charity.

"We can get a case of 12-ounce cans for $8.88. That's 87 cents a can," she said. "I can ask if they will work with us for sodas and we can sell them for $1 a can and make money on that."

Vendors and sponsors will not be offered space at the event; their names are limited to the event's T-shirts.

"We're doing this out of respect for him," said Centennial Blueprint sales director Joe Hampshire. "We don't even want a table there."

There was talk of Matthew being able to see and speak to attendees via Skype. O'Brien said the family will coordinate Matthew's exposure at the event.

Lansdale Area Fundraising Society will appear at the event, in order to present a donation to Matthew's family.

The area police departments will pitch in items for a basket for Matthew, said Johnson. 

Johnson has other surprise gifts for Matthew—but they won't be revealed here.

In addition to the three basketball games, the two Old Navy fashion shows, food, drinks, 50/50, silent and basket auctions, there will also be appearances by Schultz, three-time NBA World Champion and North Penn PAL Executive Board member Gerald Henderson Sr., and Spider-Man.

To donate or to get more information, contact CJ Yoder at 215-368-7606.