Annual benefit raises money for local family and Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.—KILLINGTON—Head to Moguls Sports Pub this Sunday, Sept. 11 from 1-6 p.m. for the ninth annual Pie in the Face for Chase charity benefit.
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 2,500 children worldwide diagnosed with this disease. The prevalence of those with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome is estimated to be between 1 in 25,000 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.
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After a year hiatus due to Covid, the much celebrated Pie in the Face for Chase benefit is back with gusto! This Sunday, 25 local “celebrities” will get pied in the face. The messier the better!
Last year, $20,000 was raised, and organizers hope to keep growing that number. Like the past eight years, 100% of the proceeds go to Chase William Kuehl and PMSF, with an equal 50/50 split.
It’s $10 to get in, that includes a door prize raffle ticket, and there’s many great prizes to be won by many great, local businesses. Kids are free. Besides the pieing and the door prizes, there will be a silent auction and a teacup raffle. Live music will be provided by Duane Carleton. Cash or check is preferred, but you can pay through Paypal or Venmo as well.
For $22 (the disease is a deletion of chromosome 22), participants get to pie one person in the face with a whipped cream pie. For $50, you can pie someone with a green pudding pie. Green is the color of the charity and pudding is one of Chase’s favorite snacks, plus it’s a lot smellier. For only $100, mere pennies a day, the PMSF Chaser is the best option available. It’s a pumpkin pie topped with pudding and whipped cream. It’s the messiest pie to date and the most fun way you can donate but any donation is a great thing that will help many children and their families. Pie as many people as you want. There will be 25 local celebrities to choose from.
The “celebrity” pie class this year are:
- Freshmen: Tara Kuehl, Leo Pond, Max Rayner, Jay “Rosey” Rosenbaum, Emily Tyburski and Jen Wheatley.
- Sophomores: Brian Hughes, Bernie Kuehl, Andrew Schain and Rick Webb.
- Juniors: Bill Conn, Brooke Englert and Matt Kopicki.
- Seniors: Annie Johnson Kuehl (Chase’s mom).
- Post Grads: Kyler Kuehl (Chase’s brother) and Kyler Kueh
- Masters: Jared Hall, Karena Kuehl (Chase’s sister), Jeremy “Creeper” Rayner and Don Sady.
- O.P.s (original pie-ees): DJ Dave Hoffenberg, Rick Kuehl, Sal Salmeri (owner of Moguls), Kelly Spear and Team Canada’s Peter Whittier.
The referee for the event is Jason Evans but he will be taking pies as well. Don’t get a red card or you might be taking one, too.
The O.P.s have been in the event from the beginning. Due to Covid, the event was not held but DJ Dave and Peter Whittier took pies on their own so they are the only two people who have been in it every year. DJ Dave took pies in the Moguls parking lot and Peter took pies from his backyard in Canada.
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 2,500 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, “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. I feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community. Thank you to all who help us year in and year out. I can’t wait for this year’s event.”
“We 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 foundation’s 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,” Rick Kuehl added.
If you want to help out at the event, email pieinthefaceforchase@gmail.com. You can earn Killington Chamber Merchant Pass Hours for volunteering.
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. If you want to get a taste of the action without being pied, sit in the splash zone — just come prepared!
