By Polly Lynn Mikula
KILLINGTON— This past Sunday, Sept. 9, 33 local celebrities took hundreds of pies in the face and raised $22,000 for Chase William Kuehl and the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation (PMSF), a new record for the event. Last year, the event raised $15,000.
The pieing took place at Moguls Sports Pub on Killington Road and 100 percent of the proceeds go to Chase William Kuehl and PMSF.
Phelan-McDermid Syndrome is caused by the lack of chromosome 22, so two whipped cream pies were sold for $22. Additionally, “Golden” pies (blueberry, cherry or pumpkin pies) and pudding pies were available for $50. And, for the messiest of all, the PMSF Chaser – a Golden pie topped with one pound of pudding and whipped cream – could be purchased for $100.
Chase Kuehl was diagnosed PMS in January 2012 when he was a little over 1 year old. He is one of only 1,500 children diagnosed worldwide. The prevalence of those with PMS is estimated to be between one 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.
“This community continues to show Chase and PMSF a lot of love and support,” said event co-founder Dave Hoffenberg. “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.”
The “celebrities”
The local “celebrities” who volunteered to be pied in the face to support this cause this year included: Annie Johnson Kuehl and Rick Kuehl (Chase’s parents), Geoff Ahlberg, Jeff Alexander, Sara Filskov, Kelly Champney Lange, Johnny Sharpe, Matt Thayer, Dave Parnell, Skinny Mck, Sara Wall, Kyler Kuehl (Chase’s brother), Jason Evans, Ryan Orabone, Chris Thayer, Dan Wall, Andrea Weymouth, Tucker Adirondack, Matt Hauk, Jeremy Rayner, Beth Roberts, Karri Barrett Tomasi, Karena Kuehl (Chase’s sister), Amy Fuller Ahlberg, Jared Hall, Don Sady, Dave Hoffenberg, Colleen Collord, Sasha Parise, Linda Alberque Ross, Sal Salmeri (owner of Moguls), Kelly Spear and Peter Whittier.
For more information visit pieinthefaceforchase.com or the Facebook page of the same name.
Photo submitted
Select Board member Jim Haff helps pie Andrea Weymouth in the face for charity. Weymouth received 68 pies.