By Dave Hoffenberg
KILLINGTON—On Sunday, Sept. 9, Moguls Sports Pub will host the fifth annual Pie in the Face for Chase charity benefit from 1-7 p.m.
It’s time again to pie local celebrities and raise money for Chase William Kuehl and the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation (PMSF). Kuehl is one of only 1,500 children worldwide diagnosed with this disease. The prevalence of those with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome is estimated to be between 1 in 20,000 babies born. There is no cure, but it is PMSF’s goal to find effective therapies to help those with PMS, and, eventually, a cure.
Last year, $15,000 was raised, and organizers hope to keep growing that number. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to Chase William Kuehl and PMSF, with an equal 50/50 split. This year, organizers have also decided to give a $1,000 scholarship to a PMSF family in need to help them attend the bi-annual conference where families learn of the therapies that will help them with their children.
For $22 (the disease is a deletion of chromosome 22), participants get to pie two people in the face with a whipped cream pie. Or, purchase a Golden Pie for $50 and smack someone with a juicy blueberry, cherry or pumpkin pie. This year they have added two new pies: the $50 pudding pie, which is the tasty but the messiest to date, and the PMSF Chaser, which is a Golden Pie topped with one pound of pudding and then topped with whipped cream for only $100. It’s the most fun and messy way you can donate. Pie as many people as you want. Cash or check is preferred, but you can pay through Paypal as well. Moguls supplies all the ingredients, plus over 30 people to pie. Anyone not pie-ing, there’s a suggested donation of 10; kids are free.
Can’t make the event? Visit pieinthefaceforchase.com where you can buy pies to pie people from afar, then watch it live on Facebook from the page of the same name.
The “celebrity” pie class this year are: Freshmen Annie Johnson Kuehl (Chase’s mom), Geoff Ahlberg, Jeff Alexander, Sara Filskov, Kelly Champney Lange, Johnny Sharpe, Matt Thayer, Dave Parnell, Skinny Mck and Sara Wall (the mother of a PMSF child in Boston; sophomores Kyler Kuehl (Chase’s brother), Jason Evans, Ryan Orabone, Chris Thayer, Dan Wall (the father of a PMSF child in Boston) and Dray Weymouth; juniors Tucker Adirondack, Matt Hauk, Jeremy “Creeper” Rayner, Beth Roberts and Karri Barrett Tomasi; and seniors Karena Kuehl (Chase’s sister), Amy Fuller Ahlberg, Jared Hall and Don Sady.
The Post Grad class or the OGs are the people who have been in the event from the beginning. These people have taken pies in the face for four years. They are: Rick Kuehl (Chase’s dad), DJ Dave Hoffenberg, Colleen Collord, Sasha Parise, Linda Alberque Ross, Sal Salmeri (owner of Moguls), Kelly Spear and Team Canada’s Peter Whittier.
Chase Kuehl was diagnosed with this disease in January 2012 when he was a little over a year old. His mother, Annie Kuehl, said, “We were floored when it happened, but this is our journey now.”
Since the disease is so rare, Rick Kuehl said, “This is not the lottery we wanted to win.” They have their struggles, but they have an amazing loving child in Chase Kuehl. Annie said, “Chase’s life and world are affected by Phelan McDermid Syndrome in so many different ways and there are days that I can’t understand why he has to be one of the 1,500 in the world. But Chase is still Chase … He knows love and gives and receives it freely. He amazes me daily and reminds what life is truly about.”
Co-Founder DJ Dave said, “This community continues to show Chase and PMSF a lot of love and support. This charity is near and dear to me and I’m honored that so many people volunteer to get pied over and over and also help us raise much needed money. Last year when I saw that we raised $15,000, I felt blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community. Thank you to all who helped us achieve 10 times our first year total, in only our fourth year! I can’t wait for this year’s event.” This year there will be music provided by Nikki Adams.
“I can’t say enough about the people that support Chase and the foundation through this fun filled event. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful people who want to help us provide the best for our little angel. The money raised will go to support the foundations efforts to improve the lives of children with PMS around the world as well as The Chase William Kuehl Trust, which will help provide services and support for Chase as he grows,” Rich Kuehl added.
Photo Submitted
Born with a rare disease, Chase William Kuehl, held by Sal Salmeri of Moguls –is the root of the community-led efforts to raise money for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation through this fun event – Pie in the Face.
